


You took my heart

by LogicBox



Category: Magic Kaito, 名探偵コナン | Detective Conan | Case Closed
Genre: Angst, Down the Road, Identity Issues, M/M, Misunderstandings, Mutual Pining, Slow Burn, but it gets better
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-08-28
Updated: 2020-07-01
Packaged: 2020-09-28 17:36:14
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 18
Words: 50,547
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20429825
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LogicBox/pseuds/LogicBox
Summary: "When I was with him, suddenly I wasn't this broken person anymore. I was just me. I was whole again. I was just a person – like everyone else."After successfully taking down the BO, Shinichi's ready to face his feelings and tell a certain Phantom Thief about who, exactly, Conan was. Yet, because of certain events, it ends up backfiring, because when has his life ever been easy and predictable? KaiShin/ShinKai.





	1. Shattered

**Author's Note:**

> So, this is a little something that wouldn't leave me. So I've decided to get rid of it from my head.
> 
> This can be considered a smudge AU? Kaito doesn't know who Conan is and Shinichi doesn't know how Kaito looks. So.
> 
> English is obviously not my first language, so pardon any and all mistakes you spot.
> 
> "abc" - talking
> 
> 'abc' - thinking
> 
> Without further ado, please enjoy.

In hindsight, he thought as the balls of his feet left the comforting safety of the roof, Shinichi knew the plan would, _somehow_, fail. Gin's not the type of your off-the-mill criminal whose sole purpose is to kill aimlessly and needlessly. Well, there's that, too, but also the brains of being one of the top officers of a nation- _world?_ \- wide criminal syndicate.

Something's bound to go wrong.

Then again, Shinichi mused trying very hard to keep his balance for those few more, precious seconds, when has anything in his live, regarding private matters, gone according to plan?

One last chance to find out.

One last _leap of faith._

And so, he leans back and lets the wind envelop him in its embrace.

But let's get back to the beginning of things.

* * *

It's three years later when "The Fall", as press dubbed the take down of a criminal syndicate, happens. Shinichi knows, nothing of what transpired would be possible to accomplish without every person present there that night.

The FBI, led by Akai Shuichi, safe distance away with a sniper rifle and a little boy by his side throwing orders left and right.

The secret police with, commonly known as Amuro, Zero taking the charge.

And of course last, but not the least, the enigma known as Magician under the Moonlight, The Last Wizard of the Century, Kaitou KID.

If he were to be honest with himself, the cooperation between the trickster and both ex-members of the Black Organization, Bourbon and Vermouth, was a key part of the whole operation.

However, after everything was finished and done with, the magician vanished without a word, thus it's why Shinichi, two months later, was currently running - _jumping?_ \- over the staircase leading to the roof of the hotel.

Yep, it's another KID heist.

Secretly, Shinichi's happy for two reasons. Well, three.

Firstly, it's because he can now officially thank the magician for all the help. Not just with the take down. With every time the little 'Conan' needed one and the thief happily obliged.

Secondly, because it means that the bullet wound sustained during the memorable night wasn't as serious as it looked.

And thirdly, well…

During his recuperation time after taking the antidote, courtesy of one Japanese FBI agent who figured out his real identity along the way, Shinichi had a lot of time to think.

Like,_ a lot._

And during his musings of how to breach the subject of his absence with Ran, what to do to keep the Detective Boys in his life, how to worm his way back into the good graces of the Police Department, there was always one constant thought nagging at the back of his mind.

KID.

Now, the Heisei Holmes knows that the emotional qualities are antagonistic to clear reasoning, but he couldn't hep it.

He missed the thief.

Missed their conversations, be it planning a raid on the organization or simple, meaningless exchange of opinions on the most mundane of topics.

Now that everything's over and he's back in his body, Shinichi let himself sulk quietly in his mind. For there's no reason for him to pursue the thief anymore.

It's Conan that's the "KID killer", not him.

What reason could possibly a homicide detective have, to drop by a heist that's perfectly safe for all, save for the star himself?

And even that's a valid argument, because the branch of the organization pursuing Pandora was also caught that night.

And yet…

When the heist notice popped on the screen of his TV one morning, a week ago, Shinichi could swear he never deciphered something quicker in his entire life.

* * *

Thus brings us back to the present, as the young detective stumbles the last few steps and crashes into the door, forcing them to open.

Immediately, the cold wind brushes his cheeks and Shinichi needs to momentarily squeeze his eyes shut to adjust to the slight intrusion.

"Hm?" A voice in front of him murmurs, and it's owner turns around, regarding the newcomer curiously,

"You're a new face around here," the thief says in a louder voice and Shinichi needs to take a step back at the suddenly close proximity with the other. Who's holding a blooming white rose in his hand.

"Welcome to the party. It's a pleasure to make acquaintance with the Great Detective of the East," Kaitou KID says with that ever insufferable, _attractive?_, smirk on his face.

Stupefied, said detective wordlessly takes the professed flower and puts it to his nose, inhaling the calming and soothing aroma, before looking at his… _friend?_

Well, it's a one way friendship, for now, since the other doesn't know who he is.

_'Oh, so it's a young man this time,'_ Shinichi thinks, finally looking at the thief's face.

During his time as Conan he learned that Kaitou KID was anything, if not thorough. Which is why, every heist, he had a new face as his disguise, accompanied of course by a matching voice to it. Which, frankly, infuriated the detective to no end, because of the near impossibility to at least get a _hint_ to the magician's true identity.

"Aren't you a gentleman," The Heisei Holmes scoffs, yet the smile is evident both in his voice and on his face.

KID's grin is, simply put, shit eating as he bows, the hat low over his eyes.

"I'm nothing if not an accommodating host,"

"Clearly," the detective answers, taking a slow step forward, so as not to alarm the thief.

Who's currently watching him curiously from under the rim of his hat.

"Is Tantei-kun faring well, Meitantei?"

That question stops his next step mid-way, wide eyes filled with slight panic looking to the magician.

"How-?"

"You are his cousin, are you not?" He inquires softly, and Shinichi can swear he hears an undertone of fondness there, "I imagine you're aware of his whereabouts as well as our… _cooperation_, at few instances,"

_'Ah, damn it,'_ The detective thinks, letting out a slow sigh, _'It's not exactly how I wanted him to find out, but beggars can't be choosers, I suppose,'_

"Meitantei?"

"KID, listen, the truth is I'm Co-"

And just like that, because Shinichi's life can never be easy, there's a sound of a gun being fired, followed by a scream down below them.

Alarmed, both of them look at each other for a split second and, somehow, just knowing what to do, the thief jumps down over the railing while Shinichi turns to the door, his destination also downward, ignoring the confused questions and baffled expressions of the task force's faces as he sprints by them.

By the time he makes it to the street, there's an utter chaos as people try to flee in all directions in panic.

Luckily, locating the magician is an easy task, bless the white outfit, so Shinichi makes his way there slowly surveying the area.

_'Why would the sniper,'_ for it's most certainly not a coincidence at this point that there's a shooting occurring at a heist, _'try to shoot an innocent civilian, instead of aiming for KID? It doesn't add up. If it's the remnants of the organization they should go for either of us. Unless…'_

Dread pooled in the pit of Shinichi's stomach, his eyes sharply scanning the windows and roofs of the nearby buildings.

_'Unless…'_

His gaze catches the split second light being reflected by the moving window and before he's aware of what he's doing, his body moves, running at full speed towards the striking white just as another shot rings out.

_ 'Unless they know his real identity and are trying to lure him out by targeting someone close to him,' _

* * *

_ _

Kaito is in a, to put lightly, state of morbid panic as he descends down onto the street, already looking for that blob of wild, brown hair.

_ 'Aoko, please be safe,' _

That sole thought pushes him forward, into the panicking crowd, and it says something about the state of fear they must all feel if none of them stops for even a second to take notice of him.

"-to!"

"Kaito!"

He hears a voice to his right, just at the edge of the slowly thinning out crowd and said teen gives a long exhale of relief, slowly making his way over to his friend, oblivious to everything around him at the moment.

And just as he's about to sweep down and rescue the princess, there's a sudden weight pushing his side and Kaito stumbles sideways, ignoring the splash of something on his cheek.

"KID! Are you alright?" Shinichi's desperate voice calls out to him, wide, unfocused eyes gazing at him in worry.

_ 'Why would you worry about me, Meitantei? You don't even know me,' _Just as Kaito's about to voice his thought out loud there's another scream, right next to them.

Both of them turn to look at the one who screams, before following their gazes to the finger pointing down.

There's a girl lying flat on her back, with blood slowly seeping through and soaking her baby blue shirt.

A girl with wild, brown hair.

"Aoko!" Kaito calls out without thinking, kneeling and gathering her in his embrace, gently shaking her, "Open your eyes! Aoko!"

"You shouldn't... move her so... much," Shinichi wheezes, crouching next to them whilst holding his right arm, "It might… aggravate her wound more…"

Kaito sharply turns his head to the detective, eyes ablaze with fury.

"You… _Why?_! Why did you do it?!" He roars angrily, startling the Heisei Holmes.

"Why… I just…" Shinichi tries to answer, but the pain as well as the sudden outburst leave him speechless. Unconsciously he grips the small package inside his jacket, before withdrawing his hand.

"If you didn't push me out of the way Aoko wouldn't get shot! She would be fine!" The magician continues, sadistically pleased at the pain he sees in those azure orbs. Good, he wants to inflict even more of it because the idiot beside him deserves it.

"If I didn't push you away you'd be _dead_!" Shinichi snaps back, letting the sudden spike of anger and adrenaline fueling his veins get the better of him.

"So what?! It's not up to you to decide who lives and who dies," Kaito whispers, before suddenly bursting into a maniac laugh, "I guess it's true what they say. You are a death magnet, detective, leaving nothing but piles upon piles of corpses in your wake,"

Shinichi's eyes widen, the words cutting straight through his very soul. Anyone, he would let _anyone_ say those words, but not him.

Not _KID_.

Not the one person who he thought…

Who he…

And as if to jab the last nail straight into Shinichi's figurative coffin, Kaito says loudly, looking straight at him,

"I despise you. I _hate_ you. Never. NEVER come near me again, you _freak_ ," Shinichi can swear he hears the sound of something shattering.

_'Ah,'_ he thinks numbly as his feet carry him away from the pair, ignorant of the small package that fell from his jacket in the motion,

_'That must be my heart,' _

Allowing himself one moment of weakness, the young detective stops a few feet away from Kaito and, without turning around, murmurs in an ice cold voice, first tears streaming down his pale, sweaty face,

"I've always assumed that love is a dangerous disadvantage. Thank you for the final proof,"


	2. Quiet Aftermath

Fear and fury, carefully wrapped in a blanket of confusion. Those were the three primary feelings currently wrecking quite a bit of storm in one Kuroba Kaito’s mind.

Fear for Aoko, who’s currently undergoing a surgery just behind the closed door the teen was looking at with a disdainful expression. His loud and bubbling, albeit slightly aggressive - well, when he says  _ slightly _ … - childhood friend and hospitals should never, ever, be spoken in one sentence.

Unless she’s giving birth to a baby. But that’s another kind of _horrible_ thoughts, because it involves _Hakuba_ and Kaito’s not ready to add those to the already existing emotional mix.

Speaking of detectives…

His fury spiked at the mere thought of the profession, courtesy to the one who’s the reason for his friend’s current predicament.

Kudou Shinichi.

Kaito’s aware of who he is, thanks to Tantei-kun mentioning him a few times, as well as few instances that random people on the street - be it teenagers, kids and even police officers - mistook him for the other.

_ ‘And with reason. We really look **too damn alike** for two complete strangers’ _ , Kaito mused, feeling even slightly more pissed off - this time at himself for even thinking it in the first place.

Weren’t he supposed to be furious at Kudou for putting Aoko in harm’s way?

And yet…

When he saw the young detective up there on the rooftop, for a split second he couldn’t help, but think that it’s his favorite little critique.

A fool always finds a greater fool to admire him.

Which is why, to the magician, the two of them were the biggest pair of fools around.

And here’s where his train of thoughts halted, snuggling into the blanket of confusion.

Because he tried to tell him something, hadn’t he? Kudou was just about to say something, and by the expression on his face and the look in those azure eyes - yes, Kaito’s _that_ observant, it goes with the _job_ \- it seemed important.

_ ‘If not for the sudden shooting,’  _ the teen mused, watching Inspector Nakamori slowly walking down the corridor to him, _ ‘I have a feeling I’d be up for a big surprise tonight,’ _

“When they brought her in, they said it’s just a flesh wound, that it luckily just scraped her skin, nothing more. But because she lost a lot of blood they need to make sure that she’s…” The man said, sitting in the empty chair, next to the teen who only nodded wordlessly, and took the cup, taking a careful sip of the hot beverage.

Hot chocolate.

The Nakamori’s really knew him well, eh?

“You know, Kaito-kun, it’s not your fault?” The Inspector looked carefully to the teen as he said it, trying to gauge the other’s reaction. He knew Kaito’s bad with those close to him hurt in any kind of way.

_ ‘I damn well know that. If not for him, Aoko would be fine and I-’ _ His thoughts ceased, replaced by an image of Kudo with wide eyes, filled to the brim with pain and anger.

_ ‘“You’d be dead!”’ _

“Kaito-kun, don’t blame yourself. You know Aoko wouldn’t want you to, either,” Nakamori murmured slowly, taking the teen’s silence the wrong way.

“Huh? No, I’m-” Baffled, the magician turned to the man, only now noticing the box wrapped in red ribbon and blue paper the other’s holding.

“What’s that? A gift for Aoko?” He asked, pointing at the object.

“Ah, no. We found it near the spot where you both were. It’s for KID,” As if to prove it, he showed the other side of it, where written in elegant letters were the words _‘To the Last Wizard of the Century’._

Huh. Not many people referred to him by that title. Most just used simply KID or Gentleman Thief.

“Can I see it for a second?” The teen turned, already reaching for it, - something about those colors was calling out to him - when a grip on his wrist stopped him.

“No. It’s evidence and maybe, if we’re lucky, there are KID’s fingerprints on i - You’ve got blood on your cheek! Are you _hurt_?”

Blinking, Kaito raised a hand to his face, and surely, it came away with his fingers tainted slightly red, the liquid already half-dried.

“No, I’m not. It’s not mine…”

_ ‘Not mine? Then whose? Aoko was wounded near her stomach, so the blood couldn’t possibly transfer right on my face. Then when…?’ _

Now that he thought about it in a slightly calmer manner, letting the adrenaline drain from him, Kaito remembered that just before, when he got pushed by Kudou, there _was_ something wet hitting him square on the cheek, but… it couldn’t be, could it?

_ ‘So basically, I let loose my fury on the complete stranger who not only saved my life, but also literally took the bullet for me and…’ _

The cup dropped from his hand at, yet another, sudden realization.

_ ‘And knowing how great of a detective he is, he probably calculated the best way to move his arm so as to not fatally wound any other people nearby,’ _

“Oh god,” Kaito groaned, hands gripping his hair as he bent forward, hiding his crumpled expression between his knees.

_ ‘I’m pathetic,’ _

* * *

  
  


“I’m back,” Shinichi said as he slowly - and wobbly - made his way inside the small, white house.

During on of his many conversations with a certain thief, they breached the subject of what they were going to do after everything is over and done with, Organization wise.

With no better goal in mind, Shinichi blurted out that he always wanted a small house somewhere quiet, preferably on the outskirts of town, with a large room for a library and a white fence in front of the house. With a lot of sunlight, because god knows that the Kudou manor’s been gloom and dark enough to last him a lifetime.

Thus when everything concluded, he decided - what the heck - and bought one, with the help of his parents, of course. 

Three bedrooms, - well, he planned two, but since a certain someone had enough of living off canned, unhealthy food and decided to stick with him he had to reconsider his options - a huge study/library, and a bit of space downstairs for a lab.

Thus it left them with a room each, and one for occasional guests - after all, Shinichi told a limited number of people where he’s living now - mostly Vermouth who liked to drop by whenever she was in Japan.

  
  


“Welcome back,” A small, girlish voice answered from somewhere within, before a few moments later Haibara Ai emerged from the kitchen with a cup of hot coffee.

“You’ve seen better days,” She remarked after a quick scan of his housemate. Bruised knees and a pulled leg muscle, but the most noticeable one…

“Think you can patch me a bit, Haibara?” Shinichi asked leaning a bit against the wall, his vision going slightly vertigo.

With a quiet sigh, the ten year old put the mug on the nearest flat surface and nudged her head to follow downstairs.

And follow he did, taking twice as long as her to get to the bottom, however.

“Honestly, Kudou-kun, why is it that every time we take our eyes off you, you end up getting injured?” Haibara huffed, pulling out the first aid kit.

“They were trying to shoot KID, and I… my body just moved on its own,” Shinichi explained lamely, slowly taking off his jacket and shirt.

“_Of course_ you’d be the one to protect him. Honestly, I preferred you when you thought you were in love with Mouri-san,” As if to accentuate her annoyance with the boy she poured the disinfect directly onto his skin, instead of on the gauze.

“_Ouch!_ Geez, be a little more delicate, why don’t you?” Shinichi hissed at the burning just below his elbow.

“I don’t see how a bit of disinfect can hurt more than a bullet straight through your arm. You’re lucky it didn’t break any bones, though I suggest you do a scan of it, just to be sure,”

“Yes, mother, I will go to the hospital tomorro- _ow!_” He winced again when Haibara none too gently pushed a needle through his skin.

“Hm? You were _saying_ something?” Her eyes glinted with meaning, a needle dangerously close to the skin.

“N-No, nothing,” Shinichi stuttered. For someone so small, the scientist could be quite intimidating when necessary.

“So, anyway. Did you tell him? About Conan?” She tried to lift the mood, only to end up with a stool full of a gloomy young detective.

“But you, at least, gave him the present, no?” She asked, now exasperated, and watched with horror how the aura got even more solemn than a second before.

“Kudou-kun…”

“I tried, but just as I started, the shooting occurred. And then…” Shinichi’s eyes widened, the remembered words cutting through him anew, forcing a lump to form in his throat.

“And then…?” Haibara inquired softly, laying a reassuring hand on the other’s knee. She never saw Kudo looking this… this… _broken_.

“I pushed him out of the way of the bullet, but it hit someone. A girl, and she’s close to him,” He paused and took a shaky breath, before looking at the smaller girl, ignorant of a few, loose tears streaming down his cheeks, “He told me he hates me. Despises me. That he never wants to see a _freak_ like me near him ever again,”

Ai closed her eyes, fully aware of what that must’ve done to the young man. Frankly, anyone who’d hear something like this straight from the lips of the person they - at the very least - harbor a crush on, would be simply devastating.

“They say that genius is an infinite capacity for taking pains," she said suddenly with a small smile, "It's a very bad definition, but it does apply to detective work,”

Shinichi blinked, slightly startled at the familiar quote, before answering with one of his own, accompanied by a wry grimace of a smile.

“But _love_ is an emotional thing, and whatever is emotional is opposed to that true cold reason which I place above all things,”

“Go take a lukewarm shower. In the meantime I’ll brew us a pot of coffee and then we will watch Detective Samonji and forget about it all,”

“Have I told you how I’m glad you’re here with me, Haibara?” Shinichi smiled weakly at the sudden rush of pink on the smaller cheeks.

And yet, when the night - or rather - early morning came, he knew he would not get a wink of sleep.

The wretched words kept on replaying in his mind as he laid curled on top of the covers of his bed, ears covered and eyes wide, yet unseeing.


	3. The 'R' words

The feelings that hurt the most - Shinichi mused sitting in the medical office at the Beika Hospital with his hand under the radio graph - the emotions that stung the most, were those that were absurd. The longing for impossible things, precisely because they were impossible. Nostalgia for what never was. The desire for what could have been. Regret over not being someone els-

“Luckily, the bones are not broken nor chipped at,” The doctor said looking at the scan result after a bit of a silent pause, breaking Shinichi out of his thoughts.

“That’s good,” The young detective answered, holding on to that last silver of his internal debate.

“Still, as a precaution, I’d suggest putting the whole arm in a cast for two weeks to make sure-” The rest of the words got stuck in the doctor’s throat at the glaring look in the man’s azure eyes, _daring_ him to finish that sentence. Like hell he was going to be confined and immobilized for two weeks. He had certain plans that needed to be put in action, the quicker the better.

“R-right. J-just make sure not to overexert the hand, Kudo-san,” The physician mumbled, eyes looking everywhere, but not at the patient.

“But _of course_,” Shinichi beamed and bowed in thanks, leaving the room in a hurry.

Where were he? Ah, yes.

Regret over not being someone else. Who?

Conan, obviously.

For the first time since his ‘second coming’, the Heisei Holmes regretted resuming his original form. It was stupid, immature, illogical and ironic, he knew it, but that still never stopped the thought from forming.

Who’s to blame?

He missed the thief. Missed that feeling of connection. Knowing _he_ was out there somewhere thinking about him, at the same time Shinichi was thinking about him.

Again, illogical, but the young detective stopped caring about logics of all kind when it came to the elusive thief. Came to terms with his current standings after last night. Mulled it over in his head, accepted that there’s nothing to be done - especially since he lost the little gift for the thief - moved on, and concocted a new plan.

Namely, tracking - _hunting_? - down the sniper from the previous night, finding out if they are from the remnants of the Organization and - if so - snuffing out every last one of them.

After all, Shinichi thought, rubbing at his sore and bloodshot eyes, the word** revenge** sounded slightly like **redemption**, no?

And Kudou Shinichi always returned the favor. 

Yet, when a sudden hand grabbed his shoulder and spun him around, and his eyes locked on the beautiful - albeit a bit dull - shade of indigo, he wasn’t so sure about that ‘moving on’ part anymore.

* * *

Kuroba Kaito grinned mechanically at the beaming smile he received from his childhood friend when presenting her with a bouquet of roses in various, vibrant colors. The expression only widened upon noticing the sour look on said friend’s boyfriend’s face.

“Thank you, Kaito, they’re lovely,” Aoko spoke softly, nose already buried between the soft petals. For some bizarre reason, only his roses always smelled so _heavenly_.  


“Anything for you, my lady and for your fast recovery,” Indigo eyes sparkled at the slight flush on those soft cheeks. Good, a blush meant Aoko’s body replenished the missing blood. Meant she’s truly going to be alright.

“Anyway,” Hakuba coughed, breaking the little moment between the two, ignoring the snide ‘aww is Haku-chan _jealous_?’ coming from the magician, “Did you hear about the package left for KID last night?”

“The one wrapped with blue paper and red ribbon?” Kaito inquired, already knowing where this was going. Another trap to force him to admit he’s the thief.

“Inspector Nakamori had it on him last night. What about it?” He added quickly, seeing the suspicious look in the detective’s eyes. 

“Well, here’s the thing. We thought KID’s fingerprint would be on it, so we dusted it, but…”

“_But_…?” Kaito pressed on, unconsciously grabbing the edge of the hospital chair in anticipation. Maybe this would solve the mystery of that strange pull he felt toward the object.

“The only ones we found were… I can’t believe I’m about to say it…”

“**Hakuba!**” The magician almost growled in annoyance. The performance should be on stage - or during heists - but not when Kaito’s _teetering_ on the edge with curiosity.

“They were Kudou Shinichi’s,”

“But… isn’t he a homicide detective?” Aoko asked, confused. She heard about the esteemed _Savior of the Police Force_ from news and papers, but never saw the man himself on any of the heists. And even those she missed, surely the press would wring out every last drop of the sensation and printed it in the newspapers.

“That’s precisely why we were so confused. To my knowledge, he only ever attended one heist, the Clock Tower one, four years ago. We tried to contact him, but his phone’s been turned off since last night,”

“That is weird. Right, Kaito?” When the magician kept silent, she called out to him again.

“Huh? Y-yeah, that is weird,” He mumbled incoherently, thoughts running mile a minute.

Why would Kudou prepare a gift for him? For what purpose? And what was inside that box? He needed to get it now more than ever. Needed to find out and fill this strange void inside him. Curiosity? He had no idea, but the sheer need to know was _overwhelming_.

_ ‘Tantei-kun, wish you were here and solved the riddle for me, for this Kaitou has no idea what’s up and down anymore,’ _He sighed, feeling slightly pathetic at himself.

Relying on a ten year old for his personal problems? Since when has the child’s presence in his life grew so much? 

True, when he heard that Tantei-kun up and left for America to rejoin his parents and stay there, _permanently_, he was devastated at first. Every day, every heist, blurred into a mass of dullness and for one, horrible moment, he _hated_ the kid. For just up and leaving without a word. He thought… he thought they were something. Comrade, friends, partners in crimes. 

The name never mattered. 

But he thought they had a _connection_.

The world without his father in it was bitter and resentful, but the presence of the boy made it bearable. Made his mission to find Pandora enjoyable to the point that he stopped thinking of it along the lines of ‘a job’ and started thinking about new tricks to surprise his favorite, little critique. To see that expression of wonder in his azure orbs, instead of the cold and calculating look far too mature to be on the round face of a child.

But then, Edogawa Conan just up and disappeared of the face of the Earth.

And Kaitou KID never felt more hurt and _betrayed_.

Yet, just as there was momentary hate for the boy - he still felt nauseous just thinking about harboring such feelings for the little detective - there was also yearning. For company. For someone who understood him. Who saw him as him, not the prankster during the day, not the internationally wanted criminal during night.

Just a youth known as Kuroba Kaito.

But then he appeared.

Kudou Shinichi.

And the young detective smelled strange. Like _hope_. Like something fucking with the fine edges of Kaito’s memory. Something he was hungry for but couldn’t remember the taste of.

Add to that the gift and their conversation on the rooftop where he tried to tell him something and the magician was thoroughly confused.

“Kaito? Are you sure you’re okay? You’re looking a bit pale,” Aoko’s soft voice brought him out of his mind, temporarily called the maze. Smiling awkwardly, he scratched the back of his neck.

“Fine. Yeah. Thirsty. Will go get something to drink,” Speaking mechanically, like a robot, Kaito gave a nervous laugh and bolted from the room, fully aware of the narrowed gaze from the detective who remained inside.

**Reminiscence**, he decided walking down to the lobby to actually get a can of soda, sounded oddly like a** regret**.  


And just as his foot left the last stair, he saw it. The unmistakable cowlick. The shoulders and back wrapped in a dark gray jacket with matching suit pants. And before he was aware of his body’s actions, his feet sped up, his arm outstretched, and his hand grabbed one of said shoulders and spun the man around to lock with the brimming shade of azure.

* * *

Shinichi blinked rapidly at the sudden movement forced on him, adjusting his vision to what, or rather who, stood before him. A young man, possibly around his age. Wild, dark brown hair, slender fingers - must work with his hands - followed by a lithe, muscled arms and torso.

Yet, it’s not what caught his attention.

Though the smirk may be missing, and his skin may be two shades paler than usual, those unmistakable _orbs_ whispered to Shinichi who, exactly, was standing before him.

His first instinct was to flee on the spot, after all the magician made it abundantly clear he never wanted to see him again. 

As if reading his body language, Kaito let his fingers slid from the arm and encircle Kudo’s wrist in a tight grip, the thumb digging right on the inside of it.

“Don’t run,” The magician whispered quietly, having no doubt that his identity’s been revealed. If last night’s anything to go by, the detective cared for him and prioritized his safety over putting him in jail. God only knew _why_. So Kaito decided to take that little leap of faith.

“Why?” Shinichi’s voice broke slightly at the end, swallowing past the nervous lump that lodged itself in his throat.

“You made it clear you don’t want me near you. Why would you willingly approach me, and in your _civilian_ identity no le-”

“What were you going to say? Last night, on the roof. What were you going to _tell me_?” The magician cut him off abruptly. He _needed_ answers, dammit! And here was the person who could provide him with them.

“It… doesn’t matter anymore,” The detective murmured, casting his head down, as if admitting defeat to something.

“Then what was in the box?” Kaito demanded in a louder voice. The last thing he needed was for the other to completely shut away from him. And for a second, when those azure eyes widened, focused on him, he felt a pang of self-satisfaction at surprising the other.

“What box?” Shinichi asked warily, suddenly not certain of his position.

“Don’t play_ games_, Kudou. The box with only_ your_ fingerprints on it, dedicated to me. What was in it?”

_‘Ah, so he doesn’t know,’_ The detective thought with relieve, glad his secret was safe with him still. And the police. Confidence regained, he rose to his full position, towering over the other slightly, as he spoke in a cold voice.

“Like I said, it doesn't _matter_. It won’t change_ anything_. Not now. Not after _what happened_,” He grasped the offending limb and untangled himself from the slack fingers around his wrist.

“If you still wish to pursue this subject, be my guest. I’m sure stealing the present from the police headquarters will be like taking a candy from a child to you,”

“Of course I’m going to find out,” Kaito scoffed, letting the hand fall limply to his side, eyes ablaze with determination. If it’s a challenge Kudou wanted, then he sure as hell won’t back down from it.

_ 'I'll get the damn present and solve the puzzle known as Kudou Shinichi,' _

“You’d better not,” The detective turned and murmured certain words that came to him, upon sensing the other’s feelings, “Like Pandora’s Box, you want to open it, because you don’t know what’s inside. But if you know what’s inside before you open it, you… might be _disappointed_,”

And with a nod, he left the building, leaving a baffled magician rooted on the spot, the pads of his fingers still thrumming from the hard, quick pulse of the other.

“Wait a second…”

_Where_ had he heard those words before?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yep, Shinichi unintentionally hit Kaito with his own words. And yes, I took the "it's Kaito's turn to find out who Shinichi is" approach.


	4. Prelude to a beginning

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> "abc" - speech  
'abc' - thoughts  
_"abc"_ \- flashback

Nakamori Ginzo walked through the front door of the Police Headquarters, each step filled with confidence of long years of service. His head held high and proud, only nodding occasionally to answer the greetings of his fellow coworkers. 

“How’s your daughter doing, Ginzo?” One of the man asked, just as they stepped inside the elevator.

“Better,” answered the gruffy voice loudly, “They’re releasing her from the hospital later today,”

“Shouldn’t you be in the hospital, then?”

“I will. But first I want to see the reports on that box we found,” Nakamori ended with a slight growl, leaving no room for further discussion. Sensing the slightly bad mood of his colleague, the man shut his mouth. After all, it’s a common knowledge that - whenever KID’s involved - Ginzo would stop at nothing to get to the bottom of things. The sudden awkwardness ended rather abruptly with a quiet sound from the elevator door opening.

“W-Well, see you later, then,” The man murmured and all, but dashed from the small confines, not sparing the Inspector another glance.

Ignoring the slightly bizarre display, Nakamori shrugged and walked inside the laboratory, pleased at the sight of a small stack of papers already waiting for him. 

“Anything new?” He asked grabbing the documents and flipping through them.

“No, sir. Apart from the prints belonging to one Kudou Shinichi, there’s nothing else there,” 

“And what about the item inside?” The Inspector gruffed out loudly, looking at the object in question with disdain.

“Well… we don’t really know what to make of it, sir. It just… It doesn’t make _any_ sense, at all,”

Humming thoughtfully, Nakamori grabbed the box and turned it over a few times, before putting it inside his coat inner pocket.

“Let me take it from here. I’ll think more on it later, but first I must go and pick up Aoko from the hospital,” The forensic looked like he wanted to object, after all taking the evidence outside of the police station is - not prohibited, yet - highly unheard of, but the look he received from his superior told him to keep those thoughts to himself. 

And thus turning on the heel of his feet, Ginzo traced back the road he came from, stopping only to haul a cab, once outside of the building.

“Where to, sir?” The driver asked, already pulling onto the street.

The man answered a bit distractedly, too busy pulling out his phone and dialing a number. As expected, the recipient answered after a single ring.

“Is it done?”

“Yes. I’m coming over to you, after I retrieve my bike,”

A long exhale, followed by an ‘alright’ is the only answer, before the call breaks off.

* * *

Kaito walked cheerfully inside the Police Station, greeting literally everyone he passed on his way to the elevator, and even inside.

Why the good mood, you may ask?

Well, why not, when in just a few minutes the puzzle known as one Kudou Shinichi’s unexplained behavior will finally be solved?

It made him giddy just thinking about outwitting the clever detective.

When the elevator signaled the arrival on the desired floor, the young magician nearly jumped out of it, heading straight for the bathroom. Knowing how the schedule around here worked, he prepared a small disguise of one of the lab forensics, certain that they’re currently on the break.

Of course confirming it on his way up, after all, he’s a _very_ meticulous thief.

So when - to no surprise - he walked inside the lab and saw no one there, his eyes immediately began scanning the room for that combination of blue and red, growing more and more agitated the longer his search turned up with no results.

_‘Could they take it somewhere else?’_ He thought, walking slowly to the long examination table and picking up the slightly scattered documents lying there.

_‘Hm, it’s true Kudou’s fingerprints were on it. But why? Was he going to give it to me? Why?’_ The more he mulled those questions over in his head, the bigger he confusion grew.

Flipping the page over with a huff, suddenly all the breath left his lungs upon noticing a small card tucked neatly between the pages.

A white card.

With inscribed on it words **‘A secret makes a detective irresistible’**.

And a doodle.

A KID-turned-Edogawa Conan doodle.

“Tantei-kun?” Kaito whispered, tracing the surface of the card with wonder in his eyes and fondness in his voice.

_ ‘Are you back, my little favourite critique? To continue our dance under the moonlight?’ _

Forget the previous feeling of giddiness and elation, the thief’s ready to burst with happiness at the knowledge of his - there’s no other word for it -_ friend_’s return.

“So this time, I’m the cat, ne, Tantei-kun? It’s a good thing that my claws are long and sharp, then,” Kaito muttered darkly, a wicked grin spreading ever so wider on his face, making the disguise twist in a slightly grotesque manner.

_ ‘Prepare to be hunted by this thief, for we always get what we want. And I want you, Edogawa Conan. You and your brilliant, beautiful mind,’ _

* * *

Hearing the sound of the engine approaching, a certain young detective looked up from where he’s seated on a porch, pleased at the sight of a bike that pulled up on his driveway.

“You’re seven minutes quicker than I expected,” The book discarded on the coffee table next to him, he made his way to the guest, nodding once in a greeting fashion.

“That’s what you get for taming a 1,247 cc engine complete with a liquid-cooled DOHC four-valve V-twin developed in partnership with Porsche Engineering,”

“One of these days, I’ll get my hands on it,” Shinichi hummed in appreciation at the geek talk, gently stroking the burgundy lacquer on the vehicle.

“Shouldn’t there be something else you should get your hands on first? Or, rather,” The helmet pulled up, revealing beautiful, slightly curled blond hair that fell back down in waves over the back of said ‘guest’, “Some_one_?”

“I appreciate your help with this, but don’t stick your nose where it doesn’t belong, _Vermouth_,” Shinichi huffed, extending his hand - palm up - to recover what he asked for.

“The beauty of being a criminal. We can stick our bodily parts wherever we want,” The blonde woman answered with a smirk, handing the item back.

“Barou,” The young detective scoffed, opening the box to check its content, “He’s not like you,”

“Well, of course not. I’m not the one holding your _whole_ attention,” Vermouth smirked, a mischievous glint present in her eyes, “To begin with, I’m not even the right _gender_ for this argument to make a valid point,”

Shinichi had the audacity to blush at the comment, stuffing the hands in his pants, along with the box, just as Haibara walked out of the house.

“Chris, what are you doing here?” The girl asked, looking between the two, a bit surprised at the splash of color on her housemate’s cheeks.

“Ah, perfect timing, Sherry. You fancy a little drive to the town with me?” Vermouth asked airily, already making space for the girl to sit on.

“Why? What’s going on?” Surprisingly, it was Shinichi who asked the question, brows drew together at the sudden request.

“Aside from the fact that, before stopping here, I had to remove the transmitter hidden under the ribbon as well as leaving a little something for your intended, nothing at all. You should expect a visit in a day or two. Maybe even tonight, if he’s as clever as you _claim_ him to be,”

Shinichi’s expression turned from confused, to surprised, to suspicious before finally stopping at the pale complexion and sweaty hands.

“You didn’t… what…”

“Sure. Do you mind if I stay the night? Sexual tension build up_ over the years_ may be too much for my humble body,” Haibara cut him off, walking slowly to the blond woman, letting her put on and secure the smaller helmet.

“Absolutely. It’d be lovely to reminiscence about old times with you, Sherry,”

“Hold on. Do I get any say in this situation?” Shinichi asked, befuddled by both of their behaviors, talking as if he wasn’t even present.

“No,” The two answered simultaneously, already getting on the vehicle.

“Have a nice evening, Kudou-kun. Do be careful. There are condoms in the second top drawer under the window in the kitchen, should you need them,” Haibara supplied over the roaring engine.

“_Smooth_,” Vermouth chuckled, committing to memory a picture of a beet red young man, before driving off, leaving one utterly disturbed and - he’d never admit it, even under torture - slightly aroused detective alone.

What? He’s a fully grown and hormonal man with various _needs_, too.

* * *

Kaito cursed under his breath from the hiding place on the tree next to the Mouri Detective Agency. In his blind euphoria he rushed here without thinking, positive that the little boy’d be here. Alas, the place was vacant, safe for the snoring, drunk detective.

Scowling, the magician hopped off the tree branch down on the sidewalk, and started on in another potential direction. The Professor's house he heard so much about during his talks with the Tantei-kun.

_‘If not there, then I’ll have to go home and pick up the transmitter to locate the box. And he should be there, too,’_ Kaito mused, adding speed to his steps, fueled by the new determination.

_ ‘I will find you, dammit. And I won’t let you leave my sight again, Tantei-kun,’ _

  


Sadly, after the scouting of the previously mentioned place, he came to the same conclusion as before. Safe for an old man, the building was otherwise unoccupied. Feeling slightly deflated, the magician slowly moved to get to the station and back to Ekoda, when something caught his eye. 

A nameplate.

A ‘Kudou’ nameplate.

Recoiling from the shock, Kaito jumped over the fence and stealthily moved to the nearest window to check inside the - unnecessarily huge - house. When nothing triggered his senses, he quietly picked the lock and slipped inside.

Already the dead silence inside the mansion told him that no one lived here for quite a while. Odd, considering he saw the young Kudou just four days ago. Could the detective not live here? 

_‘Well, not that it’s any of my business. First things first, must locate Tantei-kun,’_ Kaito thought, sneaking around the house until he stumbled into an enormously huge room filled with books.

“Whoa,” He breathed in surprise, mesmerized by the sheer number of dusty volumes residing on shelves. Some more covered than others. His attention caught a single book resting comfortably on the plush armchair in the middle of the room.

A copy of Maurice Marie Émile Leblanc ‘_Arsène Lupin_’.

  


When he tried to pick it up, he noticed another object lying under it.

A little, red bow tie.

One he’s far too familiar with. 

_ ‘Does it mean you’re here, Tantei-kun? Or is it something you left… on purpose? Perhaps for me to find. A memento of you. Of your promise to me…’ _

Feeling overwhelmed by nostalgia and trying to understand the whole situation, all those little, seemingly unimportant clues, Kaito slouched down in the armchair with his head low, between his legs.

“I’m trying Conan, but I just… I can’t understand. Why did you leave? Why…” He paused to swallow a small lump in his throat,

* * *

_ “So, what now?” KID asked, legs spread leisurely as they both sat on the rooftop of a hotel they met for the very first time, all those years ago. _

_ “Barou,” Conan mumbles, drained after the night’s events. Taking down an entire organization can sap a man of his strength, after all. _

_ “The road ahead is unknown to all. I cannot offer you wisdom or guidance,” The little detective whispered, just as the first rays of sun tried to break through over the horizon, “Only the promise that I will never leave you,” _

_ KID’s eyes widened, before a soft, _ real _ smile curved the edges of his lips. He could take on an entire world, knowing there’s always that one, constant pillar of support against his back. _

* * *

“Why did you break your _promise_?”


	5. Flipped cards

Many people prayed to be kept out of unexpected problems.

Some people prayed to be able to confront and overcome them.

Shinichi, for once, wished with all his being to be the former as he looked at the familiar card found propped against the vase in his living room.

_ When the night’s light _

_ Shines on that _

_ Which is obscured _

_ From one’s sight _

_ I’ll descend to unfold _

_ The Azure Mystery _

_ Kaitou KID  _

So, his reaction was to pack and leave the heck to hide, but really, who could blame him? It’s true that he was this close to revealing his identity to the thief, but that was before the whole shooting event and learning just what, _exactly_, the elusive magician thought of him.

Now though, now he wanted to bury this secret, along with Conan, deep underneath so that it’d never see the light of the day again.

Because he knew the thief would be disappointed after learning the truth? Possibly.

Because the indigo depth of his own ‘feeling’ - for he was not ready to name it, not now not _ever_ \- startled and warmed and wounded his soul? Probably.

But, for certain, Shinichi just wanted it all to end. Like a case with no witnesses, evidence and possible outcome. Harboring those feelings - in the long run - would bring nothing, but pain and unnecessary longing for the figure clad in white.

No, not quite true. 

It’s not the thief he wanted, but the one behind the disguise. The one who he met at the hospital five days ago. The one who he knew valued his friends more than chasing a ghost of the past, allowing Shinichi to easily reclaim the would-be present with confidence that it’d still be at the police station.

With a groan, Shinichi ruffled his hair in frustration, startling the little occupant of the kitchen into nearly dropping her mug of freshly brewed coffee.

“Don’t tell me you plan on running away, _again_?” She inquired, one brow raised in a scolding manner.

“You know as well as I do, that there are more _pressing_ matters to attend, than indulging in a childish fantasy,” Shinichi scoffed, mind already planning the very delayed call to Jodie-sensei to ask about the whereabouts of the probable remaining members of the Organization.

Haibara’s gaze suddenly shifted, from something hard to an almost soft, pitying look.

“How do you love,” The young detective cringed at the word, “someone and just… walk away? Just like that. You just, go on as normal…. You get up, get dressed, go to work… How can you do _that_? How can you be _okay_ with that?” 

“I’m not,” The detective whispered quietly to the retreating, small back, sprawling over the table.

“... And the sad part is, that I will probably end up carrying those feelings for him without seeing him, for much longer than when I knew him,”

Because Shinichi wanted it. He wanted Kuroba Kaito’s most vital organ. 

Wanted it to be _his_.

* * *

Kaito looked at his reflection in the mirror, doing last minute check-ups. Tonight everything had to be perfect. He was about to, after all, face his harshest critic.

The elation at the thought of finally seeing his little detective blew him higher than his glider ever had, and the thief, dressed in his civilian clothes, nearly run from the house at full speed, the anticipation making him giddy.

He knew sending that, supposedly, heist notice, was a bit pointless, but he’s a thief, after all. And Kaitou KID’s policy was to always alert his would be victim of the incoming guest.

And as his mother used to say to him when he was young, ‘Pursue what catches your heart, not what catches your eyes.’

And his heart was utterly captivated by a small mystery framed in huge glasses.

Walking inside the tall building, Kaito called for the elevator and pressed the top floor button. The weather was good tonight, so instead of having Jii drive him to the destination, he decided to fly there.

Luckily the small, white house was literally in the middle of nowhere, sitting atop a small hill, the scenery around it lush and vibrant with various shades of green.

When the elevator pulled to a stop, the magician stealthily sneaked to the rooftop, changed into his customary, white attire and swan dived off the building, activating his hang glider, all the while trying to calm the erratic beating of his excited heart.

It took quite a bit of effort to maneuver because of the shifting winds, but no more than twenty five minutes later, he spotted the little cottage, hidden by the veil of the night, yet visible to a trained eye.

Landing quietly behind it, the magician folded his wings and took a moment to compose both himself as well as his emotions. The latter running quite amok inside him.

His attention caught a small window, partly open, as if inviting him inside.

And not one to pass up the opportunity, fully aware that it might be a trap, KID sneaked inside soundlessly, slowly surveying the dark living room.

“Looking for something, Kaitou KID-san?” A childish voice broke the eerie silence and Kaito’s heart nearly leaped from his throat in a fit of happiness. 

“Tantei-kun? Where are you?” He asked, eyes scanning around frantically, looking for that familiar smirk.

“_Are re_? Could it be a thief is lost inside the darkness and can’t find what he came to… solve?” The voice taunted, and with a slight growl at being underestimated, the magician threw the flash bomb, a small one, up in the air, lighting up the room for a moment. Enough to find a switch to flip on the lights.

For the briefest second, he wished he hadn’t.

Because there was no little detective present in the room. Instead, there, leaning against the doorway, stood one Kudou Shinichi, holding a small, green bow.

Poker face momentarily forgotten, Kaito scanned the room once more, this time slowly, yet nothing remained different.

“Where’s Tantei-kun?” He asked, frankly baffled, “And what are you doing here?” He added as an afterthought. Could it be he asked the Detective of the East for help? But no, his little critic would _never_ ask for help when dealing with him. Their dance was solely that,_ theirs_, not anyone else’s.

“Edogawa Conan is no longer here, KID,” Shinichi said slowly, high on alert because of the thief’s disturbing behavior.

“That’s a lie! I just heard his voice. Where is h-”

“Are you talking about this voice, KID-san?” Indigo eyes snapped to the source of it, only to find the young detective with a bow pressed to his lips.

“What-”

“Professor Agasa’s invention. He made it upon my request. Along with these,” With a sigh, Shinichi threw something at the other, who caught it skillfully, despite his confusion.

And looking down at the item, the magician found himself in possession of the blue box he so sought.

But wait, hold on.

_ ‘Upon my request’? _

“Kudou, what are you-”

“Open it,” Shinichi commanded, though his voice was soft, “It’s a gift for you, after all,”

Kaito swallowed and did just that, untying the red ribbon and picking up the lid of the box, only to find a pair of glasses inside. Huge ones with thick frames.

Edogawa Conan’s glasses.

“You, why would you give me Tantei-kun’s glasses?” At this point, Kaito had no idea where to even begin. Because Kudou giving him those meant he knew his little detective.

_‘Well, of course he knew him. They’re cousins, after all,’_ A bitter thought nagged at him, but the thief brushed it aside as another wormed its way in persistently.

_ ‘But wait, the police said they only found Kudou’s fingerprints on it. How could that be if the glasses are from his little detective? Shouldn’t there also be his fingerprints on the frames?’ _

So lost in his musings, KID failed to detect the other approaching, until they were a step away from each other.

_ ‘Unless…’ _

Indigo bore into the azure and the one clad in white froze, his heart skipping a few beats. Because one look into Kudou’s eyes, and he was drowning in what existed there, but didn’t want to surface. What he, a famed Phantom Thief, _failed_ to notice.

_ ‘Unless…’ _

Hands shaking uncontrollably, Kaito picked the glasses from the box and slowly, so as to not startle the other, slid them on the face of the young detective, all the while holding his breath.

Shinichi’s previously closed eyes opened slowly, knowing that the other must’ve figured it out by now. He dreaded to think what shone in his azure orbs, but one look at the indigo shimmering in the dim light, nearly overflowing with emotions, stole the air from his lungs.

“Tantei-kun,” He heard the thief murmur, before a pair of strong arms pulled him into a muscular chest, locking behind his back.

“KID-”

“I missed you. _So, so much_,” The magician whispered, not bothering to hide the wetness in his voice, because it was _his_ little -well, not anymore - detective he’s holding and dammit it felt so good to embrace that familiarity again.

And it’s true what he spoke. Where Tantei-kun used to be, there’s a hole in his little, private world, which he found himself constantly walking around in the daytime, and falling in at night. He missed the other like hell.

“KID, let go of me,” Shinichi spoke in a more insistent voice, trying to pry the arms away from him. Any longer, and he’d succumb to the sweet allure of that face pressed into the crook of his neck. The familiar scent of wild, dark hair slowly crumbling down his carefully crafted walls.

“KID, I’m _not_ Conan,” The detective tried again, and sighed in relief when that got the desired reaction as the thief slowly moved his face away, though not letting go of the embrace.

Compromises, Shinichi could work with those.

“Who are you trying to fool? You look exactly like Tantei-kun,” Kaito answered with a raised brow, a silent ‘are you trying to lie to the master of deceit?’ passed between them.

“I do. And I was. But I’m not anymore,” Shinichi offered, hoping the other would understand. Unfortunately, KID was too far gone to comprehend such little hints.

“What are you talking about? You’re Tantei-kun. The detective with a brilliant mind, my rival slash friend. The only person who could match wits with me evenly,”

The young detective slumped and pushed at the other’s chest, widening their distance.

There it was, his answer. And truly, how could he hope for any other outcome than_ this_? Clinging pathetically to that silver of hope that the thief would recognize him for who he is really, and not a fabricated persona.

“That’s who Edogawa Conan was to KID,” Shinichi bit back sadly, forcing the sudden stinging sensation out of his eyes.

“But like I said. You’re-”

“Who am I, KID?” The magician in question tilted his head at the random question. Was he trying to make some kind of point here? Because, frankly, this whole conversation was rubbing him the wrong way.

“You’re Tantei-kun,” He answered simply, as if it’s the most obvious fact, looking with conviction at the sleuth before him and blinking suddenly, when his right eye saw nothing, but the darkness.

Only to feel a sudden loss of weight on his nose and cheek.

“Go home, Kuroba Kaito,” Shinichi whispered, head cast down in fear of those unshed tears sliding down his cheeks. The magician stood rigid at the name that rolled of the other’s lips, “What, _who_ you’re looking for is not here,”

“Tant-”

“However,” Shinichi interjected with a bitter chuckle, wanting to get it done with before the last bit of courage faded away, “Since I cannot _steal_ what I _desire_, allow me to receive this little consolation,” With a quiet murmur, he pressed their lips together.

It was soft, almost feathery, but Kaito could feel the warmth of the other, the slight tremble in the plump flesh. The salty, wet aftertaste that slid unnoticed between his own lips, moistening them with unrequited feelings, longing, pain and shards of a broken heart. Imprinting those, surely soon to be forgotten, emotions upon the skin of the other, so very dear to him person.

  
  


But, before Kaito could pull away - respond? - the magic spell was broken, and the young detective took a tentative step back, turning away from the other in a manner that said their conversation was over and done with.

Not to the magician, however. Kaito grabbed Shinichi’s arm, intent on prying the answers out of him - why did he _kiss_ him? - but any and all words fell away at the sight of wet lines cascading down those sharp, pale cheeks.

“Why?” He whimpered, truly wanting to understand the intentions, reasoning and most of all feelings of the one before him. Seeing Tantei-kun crying so sorrowfully tore at his heart in a manner that was nearly crushing and suffocating.

“Why does it matter, Kaito?” Shinichi choked out, looking at the thief sideways, and indigo orbs followed another, fresh salty trail down to the other’s jaw, 

“I’m just a _freak_ who leaves corpses in his wake, after all,”

The hand fell away, back to his side, and Kaito watched as Shinichi walked out of the room and up the stairs, disappearing from his sight, before he himself bolted right out of the house.

_ ‘OhgodohgodohmyGOD,’ _ His mind kept on chanting in panic as memories broke out, flooded over and he run. And run. As far away as possible.

_ “I cannot offer you wisdom or guidance,” _

_ “You are a death magnet, detective, leaving nothing but piles upon piles of corpses in your wake," _

_ “Only the promise that I will never leave you,” _

_ "I despise you. I hate you. Never. NEVER come near me again, you freak ," _

Few kilometers away, Kuroba Kaito - unable to bear it any longer - dropped to his knees and retched on the side of the road, clawing at his constricted and painfully squeezed with guilt, guilt, _guilt_ chest.

_ ‘What have I done?’ _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hated writing this chapter so dang much.


	6. Midnight friendship

Mouri Ran, despite being written off as slightly oblivious to certain things, knew when something bad happened.

And something very bad must’ve happened to her best friend.

For all the years she knew the detective geek - which is almost her whole life - she heard him play the violin only three times.

The first, when - still as a small boy - he finished reading ‘Reichenbach Fall’ and took out the sadness at his hero’s death through music.

The second when - during the Stradivarius case - as Conan, he was allowed to touch and play with the instrument. Though even then she noticed a certain underlying tone of unhappiness there.

The third, however…

Ran, leaning against the backdoor, watched as a figure clad in white shirt and black slacks stood alone in the middle of small garden, playing previously mentioned instrument.

No, not playing.

Pouring his _heart_ out.

Outside, in the middle of the night, under the beautiful full moon illuminating his lonesome silhouette.

To an outside observer, the picture looked like a man serenading a love song to his lover.

To Ran, however, the vision tore at her heart.

Shinichi looked in so much pain, clutching the instrument tightly, playing until his fingers were nearly blue and stiff from the cold. Until he’s lost in the music. Until he’s the music- notes and chords, the melody and harmony. It hurt her to watch him like this, as if her friend’s trying to become someone else. Someone who - she’s positive now he’s trying to convince himself - was not sad. Not afraid. Not heartbroken. Not _lonely._

“It’s ‘Beethoven - Moonlight Sonata Op 27, No 2 Violin’, again? He’s been playing it every night for the past week,” A quiet voice whispered, and the brunette turned to look at the small girl - her own gaze forlorn as she watched her housemate.

Ran - though surprised at the sudden news - nodded solemnly, receiving the silent message to help the young man. 

But how could she when she had no idea what happened to made her best friend turn into a lifeless copy of his usual self?

When the last note faded into the night’s chilly air, Shinichi turned and saw his childhood friend observing him. He never wanted to see that look of disappointment in her eyes again, yet he couldn't allow himself to be crushed under his own yearning. Thus he elected to pour small bits and fragments of it into the ever watchful moon, using the cherished violin he recovered from the Kudou’s house.

Ran’s eyes, however, were reflecting everything, but the disappointment, focused on the person before her who seemed to crumble any second now.

Without a word, she slowly, silently walked up to her friend, and with all the sisterly love she could muster, gently enveloped him in a warm, comforting hug, hoping to ease the pain, if only a little.

And finally, for the first time since his meeting with a certain thief, Kudou Shinichi allowed another person to touch him.

And broke down, crying loudly into the chest of his best friend.

* * *

Kuroba Kaito - Hakuba decided upon entering the magician’s room well after two in the morning - looked like a zombie out of a D rated horror movie. His cheeks were barely visible, hidden by puffy eyes and nearly black bags under, contrasting the sickly pale complexion.

A week with no answered calls or messages and both he and his girlfriend Aoko were, frankly put, fed up and scared _shitless_. For all of four years he knew the prankster, not once had he showed any sign of negative, depressing feelings.

And yet, looking at him now, the young man looked like a picture straight from the encyclopedia, right under the ‘living dead’ definition.

“Christ, _what_ happened to you, Kuroba?” He declared after locking the room, nose wrinkling at the stench hanging in the air.

Kaito regarded the newcomer with a blank stare that quickly turned deathly and snapped back with irritation.

“I've got a bad case of the 3:00 am guilts. You know, when you lie in bed awake and replay all those things you didn't _do_ right? Because, as we all know, nothing solves insomnia like a nice warm glass of regret, depression and _self-loathing_,”

Hakuba visibly winced at the harsh tone, not expecting the sudden outburst from the barely alive male.

But that was good. That answer laid some ground for him to work with. So Kuroba had done something he felt guilty about?

“There are two kinds of guilt. The kind that drowns you until you’re useless, and the kind that fires your soul to purpose,” He answered tentatively, watching the other for any kind of reaction. He needed more information to figure out what bothered his, well, _friend_ so deeply.

Kaito snorted loudly, rolling on his back on the bed, a humorless chuckle escaping, followed by a single teardrop sliding down his pale cheek.

Hakuba was immediately alarmed.

“I can break things in a thousand ways. Anything from surgical dismantling as meticulous as a bomb squad work to wrecking ball style mass destruction. If I broke a thing, it stayed broke. And I…_ I broke him_, Saguru,” More tears followed the previous, lone one, and the magician hid his face in his hands, the - yet another - fresh wave of guilt consuming him.

Oh, so it was about a man. 

Was he rejected, perhaps?

But no, from the way he spoke, it seemed the other way around. He rejected someone? That does sound like a possibility, and yet… Would he really be so hung up about it after?

Hakuba frowned, his brows furrowed in thought, trying to place a chronological line of events.

Fact: So, Kuroba hurt - broke - someone he knew. Possibly unintentionally.

Theory: That person must be someone very important to the magician for him to react like that.

Question: Who, aside from their friends he knew, displayed similar symptoms? 

Answer: No one as far as their mutual colleagues were involved.

Theory: It must be someone Kuroba knew from his ‘night activities’.

Question: Who does Kaitou KID cherished the most?

Answer: The whole Task Force.

“No, irrelevant,” Hakuba murmured quietly, oblivious to his surroundings.

Theory: Kuroba’s behaviour changed from the moment Aoko got shot during his last heist. Guilt over that, perhaps? 

Answer: But said girl was back to school and acting as if nothing happened. And there were no lingering fears and hostility, he made sure of that during one of their long conversations. So then what else happened that night?

Theory: There was recovered box signed for Kaitou KID with Kudou Shinic-

Hakuba’s eyes widened.

Theory: KID and Kudou-san met that night, possibly on the rooftop. That meeting got held up because of the shooting. The gift meant that Kudou wanted to tell the thief something, but couldn’t.

Answer: KID found Kudou-san and…

_ And what? _

“- st without him,” The detective heard the mumbled words, snapping out of his musings.

“Can you repeat? I didn’t quite catch that,”

“I said ‘It hurts to breathe, Saguru. It hurts to live. He hates me, yet I do not think I can exist without him’,” Kaito murmured, a pitiful whimper following his words as he curled on top of the covers.

Well, that pretty much confirmed Hakuba’s theory. During the meeting between the detective and the thief, the latter must’ve done something to hurt the former. And by all means it were not about shooting cards with guns nor trying to capture the other. 

There were emotions there.

_ Feelings. _

And if his friend’s current state was any indication, said feelings were on a personal, _private_, level. Which meant Kudou-san knew KID’s real identity.

Knew it, accepted it and…

“Are you…” Hakuba swallowed audibly, “Are you in love, Kaito?”

Indigo eyes widened momentarily, before settling on a faraway, forlorn look.

“I don’t know,” he whispered and sighed, pressing on his chest where the heart started to beat quicker, “I don’t know what this feeling is, but… at first I was intrigued. Then, little by little I was happier the more I learned about him. And suddenly he made me yearn for a future I could never have, and a connection I sure as hell didn’t deserve,” Another fit of humorless laugh escaped the magician, “But I _butchered_ it all to the ground when said something I never should have. Just because I was too prideful and stupid to admit to my own mistakes,”

And herein laid the crux of the whole case. Kuroba longed - possibly loved - desired, wished for and wanted. But dared not to act upon those feelings because of one bad decision.

Well, to get to the bottom of this whole mess Hakuba’d need to consult with Kudou-san’s close friends to learn of his side of the story.

But for now…

“Colour outside the lines, Kuroba. Live outside the box like you’ve done up until now.. Don’t let anyone tell you what to do, or not. Don’t be afraid to listen to your heart,” The detective said in a soft voice, putting a comforting hand on the trembling shoulder.

“Hakuba?” Kaito’s surprise was evident both on his face and in his voice. The last thing the magician expected was to be comforted by a thorn in his side slash friend.

“There’s a school trip in three day’s time. We’re going to a ski resort. So pack your bags and be ready at six in the morning. And before you start throwing out lame excuses,” Here he leveled the other with a stern look, “Let me tell you that a change in scenery can do wonders to one’s tattered mind,”

With one squeeze on the arm, the detective nodded his goodbye and left the other alone.

* * *

“Feeling any better?” Ran’s soft voice reached his ears and Shinichi nodded, accepting gratefully a cup of steaming hot tea.

“Y-Yeah, thanks. And sorry for that,” He answered a little hoarsely, taking a tentative sip.

“You needed that,” She answered sitting next to him on the couch and watching her friend calmly. Because that’s what he needed right now. Calmness and familiarity.

“Can I ask you a question?” Shinichi murmured after a while.

“Of course,” And Ran answered right away.

“What is… love?” The tips of his ears turned a slightly darker color, feeling quite embarrassed for even asking.

“In what context are you asking?”

“W-Well, for example. How did you know you were in love with me?” It was a low blow, but Shinichi hoped Ran would forgive him for this one. Ever since his return to adulthood and consequently, breaking up any romantic attachments with her, that topic was something of a taboo between them.

“Hm,” Ran hummed, thinking of how to breach the subject so that the detective geek’d understand, “Let’s say you buy an item – be it a simple armchair – and use it, whilst trying to get used to it. Day after day, week after week. Until, one day, you realize that – while on the way home – you cannot wait to sink your tired body into it. Let the softness and comfort of the furniture soothe your worn out body. Allow it to steal all the worry, if only for a moment,”

Shinichi looked at his friend as if she grew another head.

Ran blushed profusely and flailed her arms, promising there’s a point to her sudden rambling.

“It’s the same with people. At first, they, too, are strangers. Until both sides decide to open up to one another and let the process begin,” A quiet sigh left her at the little sparkle of understanding in those azure orbs. She’s basing it all on her own experience with both Shinichi and Eisuke so the accuracy may not exactly be there. Alas…

“You tell them things that you’ve never shared with another soul and they absorb everything you say and actually want to hear more. You share hopes for the future, dreams that will never come true, goals that were never achieved and the many disappointments life has thrown at you,”

Shinichi nodded absentmindedly.

“When something wonderful happens, you can’t wait to tell them about it, knowing they will share in your excitement. They are not embarrassed to cry with you when you are hurting or laugh with you when you make a fool of yourself. There is never any pressure, jealousy or competition but only a quiet calmness when they are around. You can be yourself and not worry about what they will think of you,”

Well, the competition part was questionable, but so far the detective couldn’t find a single negative when comparing what Ran said to his… situation.

“Colors seem brighter and more brilliant. Laughter seems part of daily life where before it was infrequent or didn’t exist at all. In their presence, there’s no need for continuous conversation, but you find you’re quite content in just having them nearby. Things that never interested you before become fascinating because you know they are important to this person who is so special to you,”

“You think of this person on every occasion and in everything you do,” Shinichi supplied quietly and was rewarded with a warm smile from his friend.

“Yeah,” Ran confirmed, now positive that this slump of his was caused by heart troubles. There’s a limited amount of people who Shinichi associated with, especially very closely, but now was not the time for thinking about it. She was here, in the wee hours of the morning - spouting whatever came to her mind - to help her dear friend. 

“You know, Shinichi, when you’re in love you open your heart, knowing that there’s a chance it may be broken one day. But you find that being vulnerable is the only way to allow your heart to feel true pleasure that’s so real it scares you,” Ran paused upon hearing a quiet snort coming from the other. Right, Shinichi never considered himself weak or vulnerable. The concept was alien to him.

“If that’s how you view this abnormal concept of love, how do you know when you are under the influence of this supposedly _glorious_ feeling?” He asked, taking another sip of the hot beverage.

“You must understand one, very important fact. To love at all is to be vulnerable. Love anything and your heart will be wrung and possibly broken. If you want to make sure of keeping it intact you must give it to no one, not even an animal,” She gave a pointed look in his direction, a certain dog with a scarf wrapped around its neck coming to mind.

Shinichi opted to ignore the little innuendo in favor of asking another question.

“How do you know when love comes to you?”

“Hm, you know that saying? ‘There’s someone for each of us’?”, She paused waiting for confirmation, and continued when he gave it, “You know what I find the funniest, in it all? They mean it in a wide, _world-wide_ range. Always hoping and believing, but opting to put themselves in fate’s or – if you prefer – destiny’s hands. However, more often than not, what they’re looking for, is right next to them,” Her voice faltered as a sudden thought struck, eyes slightly wider in realization.

“An accidental meeting in the middle of the street. Having picked up someone’s wallet. Meeting a friend you haven’t seen in a long while. Or maybe_ chasing after phantoms_,” And yet another pointed glare in his direction.

“But one day… One day you gather the courage and turn. Turn and see. And suddenly, you realize that all you’ve been looking, wishing and hoping for has been next to you this whole time,” Her throat closed a little at the - simply put - affectionate, _fond_ look in Shinichi’s eyes. It made the azure in his irises shine that much more prominently.

“You can’t tell if it was love the first time you saw them. Or if it was the second, or third, or fourth. But you do remember that moment when you look at someone and realize that, somehow, the rest of the world seems to vanish when this person is with you,” A beat of a pause, “Is this enough of an answer for you?”

“I… Yeah. Yes, it is. Thank you,” Shinichi murmurs quietly, absentmindedly stroking the side of the cup, as if deep in thought.

“You’re welcome. Now, let’s get you to bed. You’re about to pass out, aren’t you? And tomorrow, let’s find you a nice murder to solve,” Ran chirped, already hauling him up.

Shinichi chuckled, the first optimistic sound passing his lips in a week’s time. Truly, he knew not who to thank for having such an angel at his side. Vermouth’s choice of a nickname was spot on.

“Ran?” He whispered when she stopped in front of his room to open the door.

“Yes?”

“I’m in love,”

_ ‘In love with Kuroba Kaito’ _, The admittance - both to himself and her- a quiet revelation, left him feeling liberated. As if finally putting a label on these feelings freed him from shackles.

“I’m happy for you,”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Lots of psychological viewpoints here. Hope you made it to the end. I see Ran as a person who's oblivious to her own feelings, but very in-tune when it comes to other people. Hence the whole monologue. Kind of a slow chapter, but it's needed for what's to come. Also! If you're interested look up what Shinichi played on the violin. A beautiful piece. Makes for a nice background music for this chapter.


	7. Crossroads

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Bit of skipping on the timeline in this chapter.

November 25th, 07:30 AM, Kudou's house 

Life, as it were, returned to some form of semblance. Ran was constantly monitoring his work, eating and sleeping schedules with the help from a mad scientist - also called his housemate - who’s constantly reporting every little detail of his daily actions to the sisterly figure.

Sometimes, Shinichi had this passing thought that he preferred Haibara when she was jealous of Ran.

Speaking of which, that brought forth another memory of calling said childhood friend’s boyfriend, Hondou Eisuke.

But that was another hundred layers of _uncomfortable_ the detective opted not to think about.

Ever again, if possible.

It’s not like his feelings for a certain elusive magician faded overnight. Oh hell no.

They simply settled - wrapped like a rubber band - over his heart, giving occasional painful squeezes followed by a surge of warmth, whenever his thoughts happened to stumble in that direction.

Which was, admittedly, _quite_ often.

So it was on, yet another, quiet morning whilst drinking his favourite hot beverage along with a variety of vegetables, a glass of orange juice and some eggs on toast, that Shinichi’s figurative semblance shattered with one press of the TV remote button.

* * *

November 23rd, 12.30 PM, Nagano, Shiga Kogen

If possible, Kaito wanted to hug the living daylights out of Hakuba, a gesture filled with multitude of gratitude and fondness.

Well, as much as one can spare for a _cockroach_.

But back to the point.

The change in environment and the atmosphere of the place had really done him loads of good.

He put up a facade of cheerfulness the moment his eyes landed on a slightly pale looking Aoko, because, well, he’s not about to worry her even more.

That was quite a low blow in and of itself.

So they had fun, sliding down the slopes, heck he even went out a leg and decided to teach Aoko - _properly_ \- how to ski without tumbling down every three minutes or so.

A gesture rewarded with a brilliant smile from his childhood sweetheart and a poorly hidden scowl from Hakuba.

Kaito felt like he won it all in that moment.

The added bonus came on the third day in the form of a mail from Jii-chan, its contents informing the sleuth of a possible Pandora candidate being currently held near his location.

_'Well, right next to it is more like it'_, Kaito thought looking at the old mansion, looming over the tourist spot from up above on the mountain covered in a forest.

Nothing took his mind off things better than work and Kaitou KID.

And, well, he had a lot to think about. And all of those thoughts centered around an azure eyed entity.

Though the shock and confusion wore off, a surge of curiosity replaced them.

Why had the detective _kissed_ him?

How, in the first place, he switched from - a quick calculation in his head - seventeen years old to seven and back again?

Some sort of a curse? A spell? He’d need to ask Akako about it. No one said she’s the only witch walking on the planet Earth, after all.

And most of all, what was that part about being unable to steal what he desired? Kaito couldn’t possibly fathom what’d an esteemed figure such as the Heisei Holmes want from someone like _him_.

“Kaito? What are you thinking about?” Aoko’s voice drifted through his musings and before he could comprehend, he answered.

“If someone said to you, ‘I can’t steal what I desire so let me have this, instead’ and kissed you, what do you think it means?”

Hakuba’s body, as well as thought process screeched to a halt, eyes blown wide in shock.

Aoko’s not far behind, suddenly stopping dead in her tracks, causing person behind to crash into her.

“God dammit, watch it, girl! Don’t just stop suddenly!” A man’s voice growled loud enough for people to turn heads.

“Oi, you watch it too, mister!” Kaito growled, already in front of his friend, shielding her protectively.

“Stupid brats!” The man snapped, grabbing the front of Kaito’s jacket, “Maybe I should pound some manners into you, huh, _brat_?”

“Or maybe you should stop right now, before we call the police and charge you with an attempted assault,” Hakuba - after quickly recovering from his… surprise - said in a calm manner, though the hand placed on top of the man’s was most certainly not gentle.

“Tch,” With a slight growl - one which the magician returned tenfold - he pushed the sleuth back and walked away, grumbling under his nose.

“Aoko, are you alright?” Kaito asked quietly when the commotion died down and people moved in their respective ways.

“Yeah. Thanks Kaito,” She whispered, obviously slightly shaken by the sudden turn of events.

“No problem,” He turned to the blond with a nod - his silent thanks of his own - and moved slightly away to let Hakuba work his calming magic on his girlfriend.

And just as he was about to walk away, Aoko’s quiet voice resonated.

“They probably love you,”

“Huh?” Kaito’s slacked face, along with a dumb answer painted quite a picture of a deer caught in headlights.

“Wanting someone’s heart, but being unable to snatch it. Relishing in only a kiss as a consolation. Whoever said it is probably in an _unrequited love_,” The girl’s voice finished softly, before her boyfriend tugged at her sleeve and they started walking, leaving a poor soul alone.

Kudou _loved_ him?

Aoko certainly dropped a bomb on his mind.

Because, after all, Kudou _hated_ him.

* * *

November 24th, 07.30 PM, Nagano, Shiga Kogen

_ But does he really? _

It’s the next evening when, after cooking supper for the three of them, that Kaito’s thoughts scatter like the snow falling all around him.

Not exactly a perfect night for a scouting, but beggars can’t be choosers, he supposed, silently making his way through the forest and up to the old mansion on top of a hill.

His excuse was, of course, to leave the loving couple alone with their private time. God knew he had enough of being a third wheel. He knew Aoko never minded, but if their situations were reversed, Kaito was sure that’s what he’d also want.

Friends, after all, would always be there for each other.

But a relationship, you needed to care for it and nurtured it, like a delicate flower.

Putting all that aside, he decided right before sneaking into the large building through the basement, that as soon as they’re back in town, he’s going to hunt Kudou and…

_ And what? _

Well, he’d cross that bridge when it came to it.

* * *

The jewel had potential, but sadly, not what he was looking for. Luckily for him, because the mansion, as a heist location, would’ve been quite a challenge. Mostly because of the unpredictable weather and strong winds, blowing from all directions, due to the building being on top of a hill covered in trees.

And now that the distraction of his night job ended, Kaito’s thoughts slithered back to the young detective and his unexplained actions.

So, there he was, cold, isolated and desperate for something he knew he couldn't have. A solution. A remedy. An answer. _Anything_. And he hated it. Alone and confused was the last place he wanted to be.

Yet, somehow Kaito knew he deserved this.

“But why? Why, why can't people just say what they mean?” The magician whined quietly, observing the white puff of air that escaped with the question, before quietly opening the door to their cabin.

It was pretty late - almost midnight - so who knew what the bastard and Ahoko were… _up to_.

Kaito snorted and almost gagged at the double entente and the image of a certain blonde it brought forth.

However, all that vanished from his mind upon walking inside and seeing two police officers discussing something animatedly with the other duo.

“Aoko? What’s wrong? Did something happen?”

His voice snapped four pairs of eyes on him, two questioning, and two accusing.

“Are you Kuroba Kaito, by any chance?”

“Uh, yes. Why?” 

“Where were you tonight between nine and eleven PM?” The tall officer asked, notepad and pen ready in his hands.

“Uh…”The indigo eyes blinked, “What’s going on?”

“Answer the question, please,” The man pressed, and suddenly Kaito blanched, turning a very unhealthy shade of white.

“I…”

“Kaito, just tell the officers where you went. Please,” Aoko’s voice almost begged him to answer, but, well, he really couldn’t. Because what was he going to say? ‘I was up in that mansion, you know? The one on top of the hill? Yeah, checking if the jewel they kept there is the one I’m looking for, because I’m KID, so.’

Right. Yep. _Nope_.

He kept his mouth shut, but that’s when he felt a pair of handcuffs on his wrists. On instinct he wanted to slip out of them, but one stern look from Hakuba stopped the magician.

“You’re under arrest,” One of the police officers said, whilst the other tugged at the cuffs and started walking out of the cabin.

“Huh?”

* * *

November 26th, 11.43 PM, Nagano Prefecture Police Department 

“What were you doing on the night of the murder?”

“Multiple witnesses confirm you had a dispute with the victim the previous day,”

“Is that why you killed him?”

So, from the barrage of questions thrown his way, Kaito concluded that:

One, he, supposedly, killed someone.

Two, it happened on the night of his recon, during the time of said recon.

Three, the victim was the man who he’d an argument with.

And whose name he didn’t even know.

Four, Hakuba figured out why he kept silent, although a few comments about his _mental state of health_ as of late were very much unnecessary, in Kaito’s opinion.

And last, but not least, five, he was, well,_ fucked_.

Because they had a clear set of fingerprints, _his_ fingerprints, on the murder weapon.

And Kaito himself had no alibi. 

Well, he had, but… You get the picture.

Thus, he was a textbook example of a killer who committed not premeditated murder of the second degree. 

And finally…

“If you’re not going to talk, we’ll take that silence as an admission of guilt and charge you with murder,” The rather bad ass looking inspector with a scar and a cane said in a - surprisingly - solemn voice, “For now, in an hour, you’ll be moved to a prison facility to await the trail. We can’t keep you here for more than forty-eight hour-”

“Inspector!” A sudden voice from outside called, before the door opened.

“What is it?” 

“H-He’s here, sir. And he wishes to speak with you,” The man stuttered nervously, and going by a slightly paler shade of skin, Kaito figured that, whoever ‘he’ was, the police was in for it.

Not that it mattered to him.

After all, one shouldn’t waste the last few precious moments of freedom brooding and worrying over police, no?

* * *

November 25th, 07.31 AM, Kudou's House 

**“Kuroba Kaito, age 20, is a prime suspect in a murder that occurred yesterday evening in a famous tourist spot…”** The rest of the news faded away into an annoyingly buzzing background as Shinichi whipped his phone out of the pocket and dialed a number.

“Yamato,”

“Yamato-keibu. It’s Kudou Shinichi,”

“Ah, Kudou. How can I help you?”

“I want everything you’ve got on the murder that happened last night,” He cut straight to the point, leaving absolutely no room for any discussion.

There was a bit of a pause, before the older man answered with a sigh.

“Kudou, I know you like mysteries, but this is an open-close case of a murder. There’s no need for you to-”

“I’ll be over in an hour,” Shinichi cut the Inspector off and ended the call, quickly gathering his things.

“Haibara,” He called at the entrance, putting on his shoes.

“Hm? What is it?” The brownish head of hair bobbed from the kitchen, their owner barely awake.

“I’m heading to Police Office in Nagano. Ka- Someone got arrested,”

The girl only nodded. There’s no point in involving her housemate in any kind of discussion when he’s like that. Eyes sharp and deadly.

Kudou Shinichi’s out to _hunt_ someone.

* * *

November 25th, 08.58 AM, Nagano Prefecture Police Department 

Parking his Alfa Romeo 8C Competizione the young detective strode across the street and inside the building with confidence and purpose, watching with a touch of satisfaction how the people around him moved out of the way one by one. Good, he had no time for silly, little distractions and chit-chats.

Walking - _storming_ \- inside the office without so much as a knock, he stopped only in front of the desk belonging to a certain Inspector.

“Brat,” The man nodded in greeting, slightly intimidated by the aura the other’s executing.

“Inspector,” Shinichi nodded back, hand already reaching for the files, “What’s the status?”

“The perpetrator isn’t talking. At all. Not answering any of our questions,” Kansuke sighed sadly, because even after all those years of service, he never got used to seeing the young people as potential murderers.

“_Suspect,_” Shinichi corrected with a slight growl, flipping through the file with rapture, “When’s the drop out?”

“They brought him in at 1 AM tonight so that leaves us forty hours,”

In two days time, at midnight, that’s his time limit.

He’d rather _die_ than see Kaito put behind bars for something he absolutely couldn't_ do_.

An elusive magician should soar the skies on his wings of white, not rot in a concrete prison.

* * *

November 26th, 01.42 AM, Kudou's House

Ran walked inside the library quietly so as not to disturb the detective sitting in the armchair, with his legs pulled up and his chin resting on top of the steeple fingers.

He looked bad, she noted, well she remembered seeing him in an even worse state, as both Shinichi and Conan. She never, however, saw him so focused and desperate.

She always associated murders and riddles as something of a hobby for the other, a way to get those gray cells working.

But looking at him now, Ran recalled their conversation from all those years ago, when she asked him about something similar.

_ “Huh? What if the culprit was someone I knew?” _

_ “Right. Let’s say the culprit was Professor Agasa,” _

_ “I’d reveal him,” _

_ “Huh? You would?” _

_ “Yeah, I would state plainly that he is the culprit,” _

_ “Ah, so you just want to look cool,” _

_ “There’s nothing cool about it. In that situation, I’d probably be all worn out. It would be after I exhausted all the possibilities to prove that person _ wasn’t _ the culprit,” _

And, really, looking at him now, Ran finally understood what he meant. There was nothing cool about the way he looked, hair ruffled from irritation, clothes rumpled from sitting in one position for long periods of time, visible bags under his bloodshot and tired eyes.

_ ‘He’s that important to you, huh?’ _

With a small smile, she quietly put the tray with sandwiches and coffee on the small table next to him and left the room. For once, there’d be no scolding for neglecting his health. 

Because she knew he’d do the same if it were her.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Soooo I suck at writing action scenes. Badly. I hope the time skipping was bearable for you guys to not get confused. And honestly? The whole idea for this story sparked from that flashback Ran had. Which makes me feel kind of silly, now that I think about it.


	8. Azure Rhapsody

November 26th, 01.40 PM, Nagano Prefecture Police Department

“Staying silent is like a slowly growing cancer to the soul and a trait of a true coward. There is nothing intelligent about not standing up for yourself. You may not win every battle. However, everyone will at least know that you’re fighting for _yourself_, Kuroba!” Hakuba growled, hands slamming flat against the table. The man on the opposite side just regarded him calmly, poker face slotted firmly in place.

No amount of him trying to explain himself would do any good. He didn't even know what was going on inside of him, so how could he have explained it to them?

“God damn it, Kuroba! Talk to me, say something, anything!” The blonde huffed, on the verge of exasperated desperation. He truly wanted to help the magician, but between him not answering any questions and Inspector Yamato refusing to let him join an easy open-shut case, he was stumped.

After all, as an officer of law, he couldn’t very well go against something he breathed to protect every single day.

“Hakuba,” Kaito’s voice sounded raspy and weak, courtesy of not talking for the past thirty six hours.

The detective looked to him with a small glimmer of hope, one that was instantly squashed with the next words from his friend.

“Take care of Aoko,”

With a sound akin to a pitiful whimper, the blonde turned and left, leaving a quiet ‘You know I will’ behind him.

With a final sound of the door shutting, Kaito let out a small sigh and rested his hand on the table, letting the silence of the room envelop him in a helpless embrace.

True, he was shocked at first, very much so. It’s not everyday that you’re charged with a murder of a person. He visibly shuddered at the mere mention of the act. That’s why his heists were always off-limits for anything harmful. Because he knew, he_ understood_ what that cruel crime could do. Both to the one losing his life, but more so to those who stayed behind. He never wished that upon anyone, even his enemies.

Which is why, every time he stole a gem he hoped. Hoped that the men searching for Pandora would rather focus their attention on a mischief in white, rather than any of the police officers, Nakamori, the people cheering him on down below, or Tant-

_ ‘No, no. Stop thinking about him. I hurt him enough as it is,’ _ Kaito mused, yet the small memory that resurfaced to the front of his mind - he tried not to stop it.

_ They were sitting in one of the safe houses provided by the FBI, looking over the blueprints of the Organization’s base, both the magician and the little detective deep in their own thoughts, analyzing, planning, predicting. _

_ “I hope we can pull this off,” Kaito sighed, throwing the papers back on the table and leaning in the armchair, “There’s a lot of variations that are more than uncertain and shifty,” _

_ “Hm,” Conan hummed, acknowledging the other’s words, and for a moment Kaito thought that’s all the other had to say on the subject, before… _

_ “Hope can be a powerful force. Maybe there's no actual magic in it, but when you know what you hope for most and hold it like a light within you, you can make things happen. Almost like magic,” The boy said, more to himself than to the other, but for Kaito, who just happened to be a magician, those words were touching. _

_ And so mesmerized he was, that he hadn’t notice a subtle flutter of something in his chest. _

Recalling those words brought back the warmth, yet only momentarily. For there was no magic that could pull him out of this hat of desperation. No magician that’d miraculously made it all disappear in a puff of smoke. 

Because he was like a little dove. Shot from the sky that’s his domain back to the ground.

And there was no magician willing to pick him up and care for him.

Funnily enough, that solemn thought brought forth yet another memory of a little detective cradling a white, bandaged bird to his chest.

* * *

November 25th, 07.30 PM, Nagano, Shiga Kogen

Shinichi slumped inside his car, letting the warmth of the vehicle seep into his chilled body and clothes. Nearly the whole day of investigating and questioning people and potential witnesses had him whipped. And empty handed. 

From what he gathered, Natsuo Keisuke, the owner of the cabins here, had absolutely nothing bad to say about Kaito and his companions - no surprise there. He saw Hakuba strolling through at some point of the day, so he was sure that the blonde kept the magician at bay, to an extent.

The owner, however, had a few choice words about the victim. Arrogant, brutish, over confident, yet sticking to himself. Something that wasn’t making any sense for Shinichi. 

Question: Was the man running from something? Hiding? 

Theory: Certainly, the spot full of people who, more often than not, wore either goggles or masks on their faces was a perfect spot to lay low for a while. 

So he typed the man’s name in the police database, but it came out with nothing. 

Theory: If he was hiding from someone he knew, a coworker, ex-girlfriend, someone who helped him in a shady business, then surely the police’d identify the-

Shinichi snorted at his own musing.

Right, police thought it was a textbook case, so of course they wouldn’t bother to look for anyone other than the culprit.

He couldn’t help but shudder at the image of Kaito sitting all by himself, waiting for the inevitable trip to the prison for something he stubbornly couldn’t rebuff.

It took him less than four seconds to figure out why the magician refused to answer any of the questions, or state his whereabouts the night of the murder.

It took him eleven minutes of searching the internet, until he found the small article about _‘_ _The DeLong Star Ruby’_ currently being held in the neighborhood - the reason for Kaito’s silence.

Yet, it infuriated Shinichi, even though he understood. But forfeiting his whole life just to keep a secret? Yes, he knew that Kaito was looking for a very specific jewel, he knew there were other, bad men also in pursuit of said item, so time was of the essence, but…

_ But! _

It took him 87 seconds to compose himself and steer his train of thoughts back on the _rightful_ path - however much they wanted to wander further in the magician’s direction.

He needed a plan. And a fast one. To find the people who knew the victim and to keep on searching for potential witnesses.

The first one, he knew how to achieve, but the other? He was no expert on teleportation, nor could he double himse-

Azure eyes widening, Shinichi fished out the phone from his coat’s pocket and quickly dialed a number.

“Yo, Kudou, waz’ up?”

“Hattori. You fancy a little trip to a ski resort?”

* * *

November 26th, 03.26 PM, Nagano, Shiga Kogen

Chris Vineyard, also known in different circles as Vermouth and Rotten Apple, looked at the mirror, pleased at the reflection of an elderly woman gazing back at her.

She still, despite all odds, had not an ounce of belief in a higher power, such as God. She believed, alright, just not in something so superstitious.

She believed in people.

In a small group of singular individuals who helped her through her life.

She believed in her friend - now official yet again - Yukiko, who stood by her side through thick and thin.

She believed in a man who taught her how to become someone else when life got too hard to bear it on just one face, Toichi.

She believed in an Angel who extended a helping her to her, a criminal.

She wholeheartedly believed in a - small back then - Silver Bullet that pierced through the darkness, penetrating it, ripping open the thick veil to let the sunlight in.

Thus, when the legacy of the previously mentioned first two met, fought, bonded, forged a camaraderie, and finally broke apart by a - in her mind - absolutely stupid reason, she knew she had to step in.

Yes, despite all the teasing aimed at the pair, Vermouth wished them all the best. Because she knew what both Yukiko’s and Toichi-sensei’s sons went through to get to where they were now. She knew not of another pair of two souls who deserved happiness more then them.

And when that happiness was threatened, well…

There are certain crimes which the law cannot touch, and which therefore, to some extent, justify private revenge.

She knew, later down the line, that the detective’d end up furious with her, but for now it held no meaning.

After all, for those few precious people who helped her, she was willing to break any law thrown her way if it meant protecting them in return.

So it’s with a smirk that she watched a young man with Osaka’s accent approach her, asking questions about the day before yesterday.

* * *

November 25th, 04.42 AM, Kudou's House

Gamble.

For the first time in his live, whilst solving a case, Shinichi decided to risk it all. Go big or go home, as they said.

Thus, after receiving a sheet with imprinted numbers from the victim’s phone, the detective called each and every one of them when in the safety of his library.

The reactions were, as expected, varying from a sincere shock - current girlfriend - a relieved kind of acceptance - mother - and anger seeping slowly, but surely through the conversations.

And it was the last one that drew his attention.

Informing them of the police procedures - to come by the station to give their statements for further investigation - Shinichi put the phone down and looked yet again at the pictures scattered before him on the table. 

He had an inkling as to why the victim was killed, how it occurred and by who, but he needed proof. Without it the whole deduction was falling apart at the barely holding on seams.

He noticed, of course, Ran stepping silently inside the room on more than one occasion, bringing fresh cups of coffee along with little snacks to keep him sustained, frankly quite baffled at the lack of scolding for neglecting his health.

He knew Ran was a smart woman, though, and the probability of her figuring out why he tried so hard and for who, was there, near the top of the scale. 

And for once, he was grateful for the silence.

* * *

November 26th, 03.24 PM, Nagano, Shiga Kogen

Hattori was almost there, at the point where he wanted to just stop going in rounds around the small tourist village, asking every person he met the same set of questions.

_ How long are you here? _

_ Did you hear about the murder that happened? _

_ Have you seen anyone suspicious that night? _

_ Have you seen this person? _

He’s been at it almost eight hours now and, frankly, the limit was nearing closer and closer.

Yet, each time he remembered Kudou’s voice over the phone, he slapped his cheeks, fixed his hat and ventured further. He didn’t know why the other was so hell bent on helping this young men who got arrested, but…

Well, when it came to Kudou, Hattori stopped asking questions and just went along with it. However irritating or tiring it was.

So it was with a weary sigh that he approached an elderly looking woman walking out of her cabin.

“Excus’ me, m’am. How lon’ are ye stayin’ h’re?”

The woman blinked owlishly, as if processing what he just asked her.

“About a week, I’d say. Can I help you with something?”

“Yeah, ye can. Ye he’rd ‘bout a murd’r h’re?”

“Of course,” She answered as if it was the most obvious thing. Than again, in a place like this, it probably was.

“The, ye sa’ or he’rd anytin’ susp’cious tha’ n’ght?”

“Hm,” the old woman hummed, deep in thought, “I’m not certain it’s anything suspicious, but I remember seeing a young man that night,”

_‘Final’y gettin’ som’here!’_ Hattori thought with glee, pulling up his phone.

“Th’s guy ‘ere?” He showed here the photo, nearly jumping in joy when the woman nodded.

“Yes, that’s him. I remember it, because he was walking towards the woods with a very solemn expression on his face,” She let out a quiet giggle, “Maybe a girl rejected him, that’s why he was so down,”

He did it! He found a witness!

“Hold on, ‘baa-san,” Hattori said, stopping the woman whilst dialing a number with his free hand.

* * *

November 26th, 11.42 PM, Nagano Prefecture Police Department

Shinichi stormed inside the Police Department, painting quite a picture. Hair tousled in every direction, save for the ever present cow-lick, pants and shirt wrinkled, with no coat on. Add to it the slightly paler complexion and bloodshot eyes and no one dared to open their mouth.

“Call Yamato-keibu,” He ordered to the first officer he found outside the interrogation room. The poor soul stuttered and nodded, already dashing inside the room, and by the way he flung the door wide open, Shinichi caught a glimpse of a young man with blank face and vacant eyes. His heart clenched painfully at the sight.

Someone who brought and continued to bring joy to so many people shouldn’t look like that.

_ ‘Soon, Kaito. I won’t let you down, I swear’ _He promised, hardening his expression back when the Inspector walked out.

“Christ, you look like _hell_. What happened to you, Brat?” Yamato had a split second urge to call for an ambulance, that’s how bad the sleuth looked.

“Meet me at the crime scene,” Shinichi answered instead, already turning to leave the building, “And bring K-the suspect with you. I’ll reveal it all there,” Subtracting, or trying to, the painful squeeze in his heart for the pumping of the adrenaline - because he needed to be _focused_ for this part, dammit! - the young detective stormed out and inside his car, ignoring the beginning of the temperature spiking in his forehead.

* * *

November 27th, 00.04 AM, Nagano Prefecture 

Kaito was, well, confused. Someone barged inside the police station, demanded something and now they were hauling him - handcuffs and all - back to the crime scene?

_ What the hell? _

“Admit it, you believed he’d show up tonight,” A female voice from the seat in front of him asked, and Kaito blinked, confused.

“If there’s someone who can achieve the impossible, it’s him,” The bad ass looking guy answered with a small smile, glancing in the rear mirror, “Don’t worry, kid. You won’t be in those handcuffs for long. But _damn_, you sure are loved, huh?”

Why people kept _ saying _ it to him? 

Why was he so_ loved _ ? And by _ who _, exactly?

They made it back to the resort, stopping about hundred meters from the cabin the murder occurred in.

“Kaito!” Aoko’s voice called, the woman herself throwing arms around him in a warm, sisterly hug, “How are you? Are you alright?”

“I-... yeah,” He answered, a little gobsmacked, eyes turning to the blonde, “What’s going on, Hakuba?”

“I’m not sure, but based on the number of people present at the crime scene, I’m guessing it’s time to name the true culprit,”

“You’re _guessing_? You mean it’s not your doing?”

“No, I…” But before the blonde could answer, the bad ass looking officer grabbed his forearm and dragged him in the cabin’s direction, muttering something that sounded like ‘enough with this mush’.

Obediently, Kaito followed. And nearly tripped at the entryway when he saw who was inside.

Kudou Shinichi sat in the armchair, pressed together palms supporting his chin, deep in thought. When he heard the commotion, Kaito saw a brief flash of something soft in those pools of azure, before they hardened and sharpened.

“Now that we’re all here, let’s begin,” Shinichi said in an authoritative tone that left no room for objections.

“Akiyama-san, where were you the night of the murder?”

The woman in her early thirties, long red hair pulled in a ponytail, startled at the sudden question.

“I-I was at home, in Tokyo,” She answered nervously, fiddling with the hem of her sweater.

Shinichi nodded and turned to the tall, bulky man standing next to her.

“Akagi-san, and where were you?”

“In Hokkaido, on a family vacation, well, marriage anniversary trip,” The man answered, looking slightly confused at the question.

“And you, Harada-san?” 

“Also at home, with my wife. We just brought a daughter into our world. It’s a bit of a wild ride at the moment,” The short man, in his late thirties answered with a fond smile.

“Brat, are you going somewhere with this?” Yamato asked, a brow raised skeptically.

Shinichi simply shot him a dirty look, not liking to be interrupted.

“One of you, along with the victim, embezzled money from the company you both worked at. Also one of you, killed him and tried to-,” He took a deep breath and clenched his fists, trying to reign in the fury that shimmered just beneath the surface, “- _tried to frame Kuroba Kaito_ here as a scapegoat for the murder you committed. Now then, do I need to deduce it out loud for everyone to hear, or are you willing to step forward and admit to your crimes?”

A thick veil of heavy silence descended upon the room, like a curtain right before the start of the show.

“Very well. Have it your way,” Shinichi swallowed once more to keep his voice steady and professional.

“Before we start, let’s just confirm one thing. Fujikawa-san,” He turned to the elderly woman seated on the small couch, next to Hattori, “You testified that on the night of the murder you witnessed this young man here going out, into the woods. Is that correct?”

“Yes,” The woman nodded sagely, “He took that path on the right of the resort, up onto the hill, away from the cabins,”

Shinichi nodded, his eyes conveying a silent gratitude. For now that was enough to warrant Kaito out of the handcuffs. The rest of the statement would be collected by the police at a later date.

“The day before the murder took place, the victim had a public quarrel with Kaito, in the center of the resort, with many to witness it,”

And in Kaito’s mind, the curtain rose to reveal a magician clad in a blue suit, with a matching hat, preparing for his first trick.

“Using this event as a linchpin for your plan, you then proceeded to steal the murder weapon from the cabin the three of them were staying at,”

“Hold on, Brat,” Yamato cut in, earning yet another glare from the detective, “How were they able to steal the knife if the other two were still inside?”

Shinichi snorted, the corner of his mouth twitching up in a small smirk.

“They’re a couple that finally had a little time for themselves. Use your_ imagination,_” The Inspector coughed, and said duo blushed to the roots of their hair. 

And the first trick dropped. A simple sleight of hand, to get the audience going.

“Anyway, after continuous observation that Kaito won’t quickly return to the cabin, you visited the victim and then proceeded to stab him in the heart,”

“Crime of passion,” Hakuba supplied quietly, already seeing the other’s train of thought.

The second one, more complicated. Pulling the rabbit out of the hat.

“And it would work, believe me. You just had the worst luck in picking your_ substitute_. Isn’t it right…” Shinichi’s eyes moved swiftly to land on a single person - and dear lord Kaito almost suffocated at the hatred contained in them - rooting them to the spot, “Akiyama-san?”

“Wha-!” Aoko’s voice blurred out at the startled looks from others when said woman laughed loudly.

“Me, kill him? That’s impossible. I wasn’t even here, in the first place,” She answered confidently, and Shinichi’s smirk turned downright feral.

Kaito shivered involuntarily, as if in anticipation for the biggest trick.

“While it’s true that the owner of the cabins, Natsuo Keisuke cannot confirm your stay here, the money withdrawn from your account two days before the murder, as well as the ripped train tickets we recovered from the trash bag from your apartment are enough to place you here at the time of the crime,”

The woman’s eyes widened, her hands trembling.

She wasn’t the only one. Kaito also trembled, but for an entirely different reason.

This was Kudou Shinichi, in all his_ glory_. Shining on the stage of his own making, performing the complicated magic tricks known as deductions with a flawless finish, not missing a beat, always one step ahead.

Suddenly Kaito understood what Kudou meant, when he said he’s not Conan. True, he knew Tantei-kun, but mostly on his own ground, where he, the elusive thief, made the rules. 

This… This was the detective’s domain, however, and Kaito couldn’t tear his eyes away, because in them, the young detective looked radiant. _Beautiful._

“But what about them?” The woman pointed at the other two who were suspected, “One of them could kill him for money, right?”

“Harada-san looks fit to fold down under his own weight, no doubt courtesy of the little daughter who’s giving him a lot of sleepless nights. He dreams of a warm bed to sleep, not a murder,” Shinichi paused, more for effect than anything.

“Akagi-san on the other hand,” Said man visibly shuddered,”Could commit the murder, seeing as he’s been working together with the victim to embezzle money from the company. A trip for four to Hokkaido does not come as exactly cheap. However, his build and posture excludes him from being the one to steal the knife used as a murder weapon from the cabin. He’s simply too big to enter and maneuver quietly through the tight space,”

“He still could do it!” The woman defends herself vehemently, arms folded across her chest, “What should I care if the idiot got himself killed and landed a bloody mess on the kitchen floor! I had nothing to do with him anymore!”

And _ boom! _ The final trick, the greatest reveal.

“Oh?” Shinichi’s eyes are ablaze with triumph, fingers discreetly already motioning for the Inspector to call the officers stationed outside the cabin, “_When_ did I say anything about victim being killed in the kitchen?”

Akiyama’s eyes widened, mouth open to thrown another excuse, before she realized that there won’t be one. She tripped on her own words. Was lead into a carefully crafted trap. Angry tears sprung from her eyes, before she crumpled to the floor, screaming about a man who cheated on her and got her into a huge debt.

But, for once, the reasons mattered not to Shinichi. His control was thinning out, now that everything was over, as evident by the shallow breath and shaking hand.

He slipped past the blonde detective - who whispered a quiet ‘I owe you one, Kudou-kun’ - and run straight from the cabin, hoping to reach his car in time.

He almost made it, but his legs folded under him right in front of the vehicle, and the dam broke.

Hot tears cascaded down his cheeks in small waterfalls, a hand clamped over his mouth, trying to - fitfully - hide the hiccups and whimpers spilling past his bruised lips. Murmuring all the while a mantra of ‘he’s safe, he’s fine, I kept my promise, I’m so,so glad, he’s fine, he’s safe, he’s free’.

And that’s how, few minutes later, Kaito found him. A pitiful crumpled ball on the snowy ground, the previous signs of that confident man long gone.

He came to express his gratitude, to thank Kudou for all the hard work he - undoubtedly - put into ensuring Kaito’s freedom. 

But…

When he saw him, his legs froze, unable to move. His lips sealed shut, not even a breath passing through them.

He couldn’t do anything. He felt like he _shouldn’t_ intrude upon such a private moment. That was something no one was supposed to witness and he had a feeling himself especially.

“You really are loved,” Aoko’s whisper from behind reached his ears - along with arms enclosing around his waist in an embrace - just as Tantei-han ran to haul Kudou up and inside the car. The harsh words were already on the tip of his tongue, but died down when he saw a small smile on the detective’s face.

Tired.

Gentle.

Serene.

Real.

_ Beautiful. _

_ ‘Yeah, I really am,’ _He thought, a smile of his own slowly blooming.

It was amazing how a little tomorrow could make up for a whole lot of yesterday.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well, there it is. As I said before, I utterly suck at writing action/deduction scenes (don't kill me please) Feelings are becoming a little clearer for our favorite magician. Treat it as a double release, because I'm not sure I will be able to update next week :'( Also... writing Hattori is such a major pain in the backside! How do you people cope? >.<


	9. Indigo Symphony

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So sorry for not updating sooner. Had the worst week ever and on top of it I got sick, so life sucks big time right now >.< Anyway! There are mentions of situations from movies in this chapter, but it doesn't change the fact that Kaito doesn't know Conan's real identity. Just keep that in mind and enjoy!

There’s a darkness. An all encompassing, stretching far and wide nothingness, disturbed only by a single wall of glass. Looking at it, there’s a silhouette clad in striking witness. And next to it, there’s a much smaller figure, with prominent red bow. The both of them were bickering, throwing insult after insult in each other’s faces. Yet, even a blind man could see the underlying tone of affection laced within every word and action. 

Yes, that’s how they were. 

Enemies. Rivals. 

That was their beginning.

The small bud of something that’d, undoubtedly, blossomed into a beautiful partnership. The knowledge of there being someone to cover your back was, to him, something precious. Irreplaceable. The possibility, opportunity, to simply let himself be, with nothing put upon. No poker face. No facade. No nothing. 

Kaitou KID was infatuated with Edogawa Conan. 

Not in a sexual, nor physical way, mind you. 

Such superficial feelings paled in comparison to the bond he felt with the small detective. Theirs was a connection on a - dare he say it? - psychological level, bordering something spiritual.

_Magical._

He found an equal in a barely over three feet tall boy, housing a brain and powers of deduction he never before encountered. It pushed him to even further better himself. In both his advanced planning as well as mischievous tricks.

It’s with a small sound at the back of his throat that he watched as the glass shattered, crumbled into pieces and disappeared into the darkness, revealing a single figure that was hiding behind it.

He’s not going to make a big deal about a few tummy flutters because dead people, old people, even furniture would get butterflies if they met this guy.

Unlike the little version of himself, the easily approachable, friendly and smiling boy, Kudou Shinichi had the perfect balance of danger and charm. He was at the same time fascinating and inaccessible, distant because of his demonstrated flawlessness, and possessing such strength of character that he was dismaying and at the same time utterly attractive in an enticing and forbidden way.

Yet, at the same time, Kaitou KID _hated_ the man. 

Because he took from him the only person the elusive thief truly cherished above all. 

Kuroba Kaito had a lot of friends, that was an unmistakable fact. Starting from Aoko and the prick of a detective also known as her boyfriend, Hakuba, ending with Jii, his trusted advisor and the old lady from the local convenience store he often frequented.

But Kaito KID had only his advisor.

And a faithful critic, ready to judge or lend a helping hand, should there be such a need.

Kaito’s feelings for the man traveled a touch further, however.

The confusion was the most prominent one. Ever since their encounter - reunion? - at the heist, there’s been nothing but drama followed by surprising and baffling actions from the famed detective.

Kaito still couldn’t wrap his head around the fact that Kudou held any sort of romantic feelings for him.

Or were they for his nightly persona?

Ah, there it was again, the _blurring_ of the lines.

With anyone else, they were sharp and clear, separating the high school prankster magician from the internationally wanted thief.

Only with the detective those lines blurred, until he couldn’t tell where one ended and the other began.

But, enough with digressing, back to the point.

With a quiet groan, Kaito remembered how - on their way back from the resort - Aoko kept teasing him about the apparent affection Kudou harbored for him.

Fed up with it, he asked her for a proof of her theory, and the answer threw him in for another loop.

“Infatuation is something you easily back off from,” She answered gently, knowing how her oblivious childhood friend needed any and _every_ advice he could get, “But love is silently caring and watching. Always being there no matter what. Without conditions, restrictions, or the expectation of being loved in return,” 

Well, he certainly never expected her to sprout something so both intelligent and romantic - Hakuba’s influence, no doubt. Nevertheless, the answer left a slightly bitter taste in his mouth. 

Because… well… Kudou protected him from the bullet to the head by pushing him away and taking said bullet for him - something he still couldn’t forgive himself for, no matter the circumstances that followed.

And he proved his innocence - despite knowing_ what_ he was truly doing at the time of the murder - without batting an eyelash. With no expectation for any words of gratitude.

To the point of even getting seriously sick, the moron!

But, again, back to the point.

Who was reflected in Kudou’s eyes when he looked at him?_ Kaito_ or _KID_?

That was the question that kept him up at night ever since the enco-

“-to,”

“Kaito!”

“Huh?” The magician blinked at hearing his own name being called, and looked around, slightly miffed at the brightness of the afternoon sun that replaced the curtain of black he saw in his mind’s eye just moments before.

“We’re here, let’s go,” Aoko’s voice grounded him in the reality of here and now, only now remembering where, exactly, they were.

It’s with a drop of dread and hammering in his rib cage that indigo eyes finally focused on the white house with a familiar matching fence.

* * *

“You idiot! Dumb imbecile! Dollop head! Cretin! Nincompoop! Dunce! Blockhead!” Haibara kept on scolding the young man currently laying on the bed, his face morphed into a lazy smile - courtesy of all the medicine pumped into his veins.

“I told you so many times to watch out for your health! That your immune system is weaken because of the antidote! I told you! And what do you do? Go away to a snow resort in nothing but your shirt! Kudou-kun!” She fumed, stomping her foot, and Shinichi swore he saw steam coming out of her ears.

Yeah, he was doped on drugs, all right.

“‘m sorry, Haibara. W’nt ‘appen aga’n,” He mumbled, throwing a disarming smile as a bonus. Well, he hoped it turned into one, his muscles were currently very lax and his body left like it was on fire.

“You can bet your sorry ass, it won’t,” Pulling out the thermometer, she wrote down his current - far too high - temperature and with one, last, disapproving glance left the room to enter the data into her computer.

Adult or no, he was still a subject. There was no telling what any kind of virus invasion in his body could result as.

Shinichi breathed a sigh of relief when the door clicked shut, leaving him in a peaceful silence. Frankly, his head was pounding and any kind of outside stimuli louder than a whisper was like a blade thrust straight through his head.

  


Despite all the accusations, he felt justified this time. A small - well, not really - cold in exchange for Kaito’s freedom was a small price to pay. He’s doubtful that an image of the magician with handcuffs around his wrists was going to leave his mind anytime soon.

After all, Kaito was his hope. The power of being cheerful in circumstances that he knew to be desperate at the time.

It took all his effort to turn on one side and reach for a small notebook laying on the nightstand. Brushing his fingers over the item, he managed to grasp it and slowly pull it on the bed next to his head. Pausing to catch his breath, Shinichi fumbled with the pages until something fell out of between them.

Looking at it, he couldn’t suppress a small smile. 

After all, no one could deny that Kaito’s face matched the sexy timbre of his voice. He was strikingly beautiful, - not speaking in narcissistic way - with wild brown hair and piercing galaxy indigo eyes. A little bit of his mouth always remained open, even when his lips were closed in a tiny, diamond shape.

In Shinichi’s mind he was two men. 

There was the one he saw _secretly_\- goofy, prankster and gifted with the ability to make fun of himself, which put everyone at ease.

And then there was the other, the one on _‘stage’_. Magnetic, dark, guarded, as if he was holding something back, as if it would simply be too much to give his purest and most authentic self to the audience cheering on him during heists.

Unlike Kaito, Shinichi had no trouble distinguishing between the two. After all, he knew how it was to wear a mask and be someone else.

At first it felt alien, as if there was another person residing in his body. Or maybe it was him residing in someone else’s?

No matter.

What does, was that, over time, the two started to merge into one. The little gestures, habits, whilst one used to act differently, now Shinichi could wholeheartedly tell that there’s one within the other.

As Fyodor Dostoyevsky wrote in one of his books, Crime and Punishment, ‘The man who has a conscience suffers whilst acknowledging his sin. That is his punishment.’

Edogawa Conan’s sin was a promise pledged to Kaitou KID.

Kudou Shinichi’s punishment was falling in unrequited love with Kuroba Kaito.

It’s with that thought that the young detective fell asleep, all the while gazing at the small picture laying next to him.

* * *

“Why are we here, again?” Kaito groaned, absolutely not wanting to go inside the den housing the _root_ of his problems as of late.

“Because we need to properly thank Kudou-kun for all his help,” Aoko scoffed, as if it was the most obvious thing.

It was, it truly was.

But!

“Or is there perhaps another reason why you don’t want to meet with Kudou-san, Kuroba-kun?” Hakuba’s hawk like gaze leveled on the magician and Kaito knew he was screwed. He never got out unscathed when double-teamed by the two lovesick birdies.

Thus, he resigned himself to his fate and with a heavy heart rang the doorbell.

Nothing happened.

“See? He’s not here, so let’s just go ba-” The door creaked open, revealing a tall man with salmon hair, regarding them curiously.

“Can I help you?” He asked, oblivious to the chant of a very few choice words in Kaito’s head, starting with a letter ‘f’.

Because that was the dangerous man who trapped him in a bathroom stall, demanding the return of his photos, executing such a murderous aura that he ran with a tail between his legs!

“Yes, we’re here to visit Kudou-san,” Hakuba - the brave soul! - answered in a calm manner, “We called yesterday,”

“Aa,” The man drawled out, yet remained in the same position.

“M-my name’s Nakamori Aoko. This is my b-boyfriend Hakuba Saguru and this idiot here is the cause of our visit, Kuroba Kaito,” She stuttered bravely, though half of her was hidden behind the blonde’s back.

“I’m aware of your,” One eye opened, the gray iris focused on the magician, “_identities_. Do come in. The boy should be in his room resting,” Subaru moved away to open the door wider and let them inside, all the while ignoring the curious looks from the visitors.

“Up the stairs, first door on the right,”

“And you are…?” Aoko asked cautiously, slowly moving to the stairs.

“Just a _friend_ of the family,” Subaru answered with a sweet smile, closing the door and leaving them alone in the entryway.

But not before jamming another pointed look in Kaito’s direction, spiced up with a touch of that aura that made the thief shudder and break into goosebumps.

Well ,despite it being in a secluded area, Kudou sure knew how to properly… _secure_ his own home.

And so absorbed - and impressed - he was with the detective, that he failed to notice when they stopped in front of another door and how the Haku-bastard knocked once. His focus returned only when they heard a small ‘come in’ from the other side.

_‘As long as the sun’s shining, shit can’t be that bad,’_ Kaito thought and with a deep breath followed the duo inside.

His eyes immediately zoomed in on the lone figure laying in the middle of an impressive looking bed, under the covers and blankets. The pale complexion and shallow breathing of the other brought forth an unwanted flashback of a little detective swallowed by hektolitr of water and plunged deep into the lake. The fear and anxiety of never being able to witness that smart smirk again.

He failed to notice a sudden widening of azure eyes.

“Hello, Kudou-kun. How are you feeling?” Aoko asked in a shushed voice, sitting on the edge of the bed, a small bouquet of stargazer lilies and blue irises in her hands.

“Thank you,” Shinichi pointed to the flowers, having a vague idea who prepared the get well gift, “I’ve seen better days. But then I’ve also seen worse, so,” He chuckled, accepting the present and inhaling deeply, slightly irritated that he couldn’t smell them as much because of his stuffy nose.

“All the same, if not for you, this idiot here would be seeing the world from behind bars for the next twenty or so years,” Hakuba pinched in, laying a copy of the newest Detective Samonji novel on his nightstand. Shinichi’s eyes positively glowed, something a certain magician found slightly irritating.

“Speaking of,” Aoko stood and walked around her childhood friend, pushing on his back. The action forced Kaito to stumble forward, the upper half of his body hovering over the edge of the bed, “You’re the one who got his ass saved, so say _something_!”

Indigo locked with azure and suddenly there they were, only the two of them, covered in that veil of darkness as their privacy. Oh, he wanted to say something. A lot of things. But not like this. Not with someone as their audience.

“Everything I have to say has already crossed your mind,” He said instead, and gave himself a pat on the back when those eyes burned so brightly, accentuated by a wide smile, that he had the sudden urge to cover his eyes. 

There’s no need to mention the flutter in his stomach, was there?

"Then possibly my answer has crossed yours,” Shinichi answered, his voice a bit raspy, but there was a noticeable tone of joy in it. 

“Since when do you quote Sherlock Holmes?” Hakuba’s voice cut in, breaking the moment.

"Since a... _friend_ recommended it to me,"

_‘Haku-bastard! You… you… jerk!’_ Kaito waved an imaginary fist at the blonde prick, ready to unleash his counterattack, when something in the corner of his eye caught his attention. Subtly, so as to not alert the other occupants in the room, his vision shifted to the blanket that slipped down slightly when the detective accepted the flowers, revealing a hidden object. 

“Hey, Kudou, watcha got there?” He pointed at the photo and watched with morbid curiosity as the man blushed ten shades of red and stuffed the item back under his pillow.

All in a manner of second.

“N-nothing. It’s nothing,”

Hm. Curious. _Very curious_.

“Well, I guess we should be going. You obviously need to rest,” Hakuba broke the suddenly awkward silence and Aoko nodded her head furiously in agreement. 

There appeared a sudden _elephant_ in the room. And no one wanted to address it.

“Thank you for the visit. And the flowers. They’re lovely,” Shinichi smiled warmly, the azure seeking indigo, wanting to remember the way they glowed. After all, who knew when he’d see the thief again?

* * *

Kaito made him wait no more than few hours, however. At the break of night, the thief stealthily, and as quietly as possible - with a looming _salmon haired_ threat over his head - sneaked into the small garden and jumped on the balcony adjourned to the detective’s bedroom.

He needed to see that picture. The curiosity was killing him. He literally couldn’t think of anything else on their way home earlier today.

What was on it to cause Kudou to flush so much in embarrassment?

Picking the lock, he slowly slid open the glass door and stepped inside, quickly closing them behind. The cold, crispy air could very well stir the detective awake. Something he needed to avoid for his infiltration to succeed.

Slowly, he moved soundlessly across the room, stopped next to the bed and looked down. The young man looked slightly better than this afternoon, seemed the medicine provided by the little _mad scientist _and lots of sleep were good for him. Even his expression looked peaceful, no smirk or a frown, just a gentle face. Something he’s not used to seeing. But it’s not an unwelcome sight, if anything, Kudou should smile more often. It softened his features, gave him that subtly delicate look.

Shaking his head to rid himself of distraction - he wasn’t here to creepily watch the detective sleep, dammit! - Kaito sat on the floor and slowly slid his bare hand under the pillow, fingers searching for that piece of paper hidden there earlier. The task was harder than it seemed, for the other’s head was literally resting almost on top of the spot, but with Lady Luck once more on his side, the magician managed to feel that sharp edge of paper and slowly pulled it out.

With a bated breath, Kaito brought the image to his face and stilled.

It was a picture of KID and Tantei-kun, during their adventure on the Suzuki Jirokichi’s ship. The memories flew back fondly, yet he couldn’t help, but feel that bitter pill that came with them.

So, that’s how Kudou saw him. As a _thief_, Kaitou KID, not as himself.

He wished he could say that his curiosity was sated, but all it managed was to leave a hollow emptiness in his chest.

Because… Because he thought that at least this person could…

The picture slid from his numb fingers and slid to the floor, landing on a plush carpet face down.

“I had a dream that I saw shooting stars with you,” A quiet, sleepy voice murmured, alerting Kaito to the other’s presence.

Shinichi’s eyes were barely open, hooded over with need for sleep and medicine working inside him.

“Two things that will come close to _never_ happening. Seeing shooting stars, and being with you,” The detective murmured with a little slur, trying to reach over for the photo laying abandoned on the floor and nearly falling off the bed. Luckily Kaito’s reflexes broke his fall, nestling the sleuth back onto the pillows.

“Look at the other side,” Shinichi’s voice pleaded, and who was he do deny his detective such a request? Even if it were to bring him even more pain?

With shaking hands, he picked up the photo and looked at the nearly blank back side. 

Nearly, for in the corner of it were written five letters.

‘K.S’ and ‘K.K<strike>u</strike>.’

Five letters - four, in fact, for one was crossed over, the meaning behind it not lost to the magician - that brought forth a sudden clenching in his chest. Something was pushing against his rib cage, _growing_, trying to consume him whole.

“I didn’t love you to seek revenge. I didn’t love you out of loneliness or unhappiness. I didn’t love you for any of the misguided reasons that time might convince you I did. I just _love_ you because you’re _you_,” Shinichi admitted, and something in Kaito broke at the use of present tense, because that was it, wasn’t it? Kudou just admitted and answered all of the not voiced questions that were swarming inside his head.

“Please," he said, "I'm begging you to stop,”

Shinichi stilled at the plea.

"I can't stomach your pain," Kaito continued, hating himself all the more for making the detective suffer so much all because of him, "I can feel it so strongly and it's making me crazy. _Please_," His voice broke, a quiet whimper escaping, "Don't be sad. Or hurt. Or guilty. You've done nothing wrong."

"I'm sorry-"

"Don't be sorry, either," The magician interjected, "God, the only reason I'm not going to kill myself for this is because I know it would only upset you more. And you’ve had enough of that already,”

They both fell silent after that, unsure of what the other’s thinking. What’s the appropriate thing in this situation?

Kaito took a shuddering breath, trying to compose himself and stop the dampness that gathered at the corner of his eyes and stood up, regarding Kud- no, _Shinichi_, with a gentle smile.

“I don't know when we'll see each other again or what the world will be like when we do. We both have seen many horrible things,” He leaned closer to the other and gently pressed his lips to Shinichi’s forehead, “But I will think of you every time I need to be reminded that there is truth and goodness in the world,”

Before azure orbs could blink, the room was vacant, save for a quiet whisper that lingered in the empty space.

_So until that time comes, wait for me._

* * *

Outside in the garden, Kaito stopped to put a hand to his erratically beating heart, trying to calm his whole being.

“Just so you know,” A deep voice spoke from behind him, but Kaito needed not to turn to know who it belonged to, “I know how to kill a man with a pencil. So if you-”

“I’ll keep that in mind,” Kaito cut in, already walking away.

Akai Shuichi smirked from behind his mask and walked back inside the house, whistling a cheerful tune.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sooooo that's that. My lame attempt at the... angsty fluff? Idk what to call it =P Lots of quotes in this chapter, because our boys are smart and know their stuff ^.^ Also, I don't think I need to explain the meaning behind the crossed out 'u', do I? Also, the pencil bit, John Wick, anyone? ^.^ All said and done, I hope you enjoyed it =)


	10. Fleeting Dream

** Monday **

Okay, so maybe Kaito was not as true to his word as he thought. Despite his cool and _suave_ exit two weeks ago from his nightly visit to Shinichi’s house, he wanted to crawl back there the very next day. 

Why?

Well, why wouldn’t he?

There was something new, exciting and _enchanting_ waiting for him there, all wrapped in a cowlick brown and deep azure. Who could resist it? 

Certainly not the internationally wanted Phantom Thief.

And most definitely not the twenty years old Kuroba Kaito.

There was, however, a very big problem glaring at him, refusing to budge.

After what happened at the ski resort and the display of Shinichi he witnessed as the detective solved the case, Kaito understood their conversation from a while back, when he broke into the white house for the first time.

He was asked ‘who am I?’ by the other and answered without really pondering over the meaning of the question itself. Shinichi wanted to know who he saw him as, just as Kaito wanted to be seen as more than a phantom in white.

So, after mulling it over, planning, a heck of a lot of investigating - the detective would be so proud! - and not quite legal spying, Kaito decided on his course of action.

First, get to know the real Kudou Shinichi better, in his own environment.

Second, let all hell break loose.

Besides, the detective straight out confessed his feelings to him, fevered up or no, and Kaito just couldn’t keep a straight face at imagining how that meeting between them would go, should he show up without disguise.

* * *

Shinichi was, simply put, restless as fuck. Two weeks of nothing but bed rest could drive a man insane. He even had the sudden impulse to propose to Inspector Megure to use the method as a non-violent torture. Yeah, it was that effective.

Turned out, he was bad at waiting.

Really, _really bad_.

Despite his drugged up state, he remembered the whole meeting with the nighttime guest with clarity - especially the part where something moist and soft was pressed against his forehead and he couldn’t help, but image it being pressed somewhere else and - okay, very wrong trail of thoughts.

So, with nothing to do, he researched. Spend day after day with his laptop and papers scattered around his bed, digging through the internet and virtual libraries, searching for information.

On what, you ask?

Well, his search history was full of words ‘jewel’, ‘moon’ and ‘mythology’.

Yep, he decided that, should they - meaning him and Kaito - ever start something together, they both needed to be free of any and all shackles, especially those of the dark nature.

So, for the first time in years - ignoring the desperation to reclaim his original body - Shinichi decided on a selfish course of action. Find the kind of jewel Kaito was looking for and dismantle the group also in pursuit of it. 

Simple, straight and to the goal line.

Or so he hoped, for there actually were a lot more candidates and jewels with long history than he thought. It’s a wonder how the magician could keep track of every move of the gems through the countries.

With a press of the button, he printed another passage from one of the books in the library and put them on a neatly stacked pile.

He’d get to them later, right now he had a self proclaimed best friend to entertain. 

And, frankly, he was starved for human interactions. Who would’ve thought.

* * *

Kaito was elated, when Shinichi walked inside the cafe and smiled upon noticing him. Was that how the detective acted when in company of those he trusted the most? He immediately wanted to be in that closed inner circle.

_‘Patience, you. Patience,’_ He thought, whilst motioning for the other to sit.

“Yo, Kudou! How ye bee’?” 

Shinichi took a moment to order his favorite beverage - the kind of poison Kaito’d never dare to slip inside his own mouth - before regarding his friend with a relaxed expression.

“Better,” A bit of a pause, eyes glazing over with something for a moment, “Actually, more than better,”

Kaito’s brows furrowed - what was that strange look? - only momentarily, as he slipped poker face back in place. 

“Gave me quit’ a sc’re back the’e wit’ ye collapsin’ an’ all,” Truly, he nearly blew his cover and ran to haul the detective up. Bless Aoko and her oblivious help in preventing that.

“Sorry about that,” Shinichi’s brow rose as if contemplating something, “Besides, I’m treating you to something nice to thank you for all the help with the case, right?”

“Y-Yea’, ye sure ar’,” Kaito murmured, sipping on his own warm drink. 

Soon after, they food arrived, and the conversation shifted to something lighter. Kaito knew that they’d be discussing the recent cases, so he brushed up on that, giving his own opinions on the matter, all the while trying to maintain a detective facade.

It only stopped when the waiter came over with their check and to inform them of the closing time. Both of them startled, looking at their watches and through the window at the already dark sky outside. Apologizing profusely, they paid for their meals and left the warm confines of the building for the biting cold outside. It was the middle of December, after all.

“Thank you for today. I had a great time,” Shinichi smiled when they reached his car. Kaito was about to answer, when something soft pressed against his chilled cheek.

“We should do it again,” And with those parting words, the detective drove off, leaving a very stunned magician alone.

So, apparently, geek detective talk could entertain Shinichi for an entire day.

And he _kissed his friends goodbye_.

Something ugly twisted in Kaito’s stomach.

* * *

** Tuesday **

Shinichi bolted from his house at the break of dawn, a warm cup of coffee securely in his hand as he got inside the car, excitedly bringing the engine to life with a loud purr. He’s certain Haibara was already planning his demise in at least ten ways, but he couldn’t help himself. After all, it’s not everyday you get to let loose, and in his favorite way possible.

Feeling the interior quite warmed up, Shinichi put the cup in the holder and buckled his seat belt before driving off to an abandoned airport.

And just as he was nearing the place, a white Mazda RX-7 slid in place next to him on the wide route. Shinichi smirked at the challenging look he received from the other driver and pushed harder on the gas pedal, nearly hitting the floor. The loud sound of the engine roaring to its full potential had him shiver in excitement, especially when a similar sound reverberated from somewhere close by and he saw the white car speeding up to match and eventually overrun him. 

Now openly smirking they raced to the end of the runway and with a skill known only to them, they turned back, the sides of their vehicles nearly scraping together as they came to a halt, their positions switched. 

“Rei-san!” Shinichi called excitedly as he stepped out of the car, his whole body tingling in that pleasurable way that only a thrill of the ride could evoke.

“Shinichi-kun,” The blonde answered with a smile as he greeted back, “You never fail to live up to the expectations, eh?”

The detective laughed airily, scratching his cheek in a sheepish way. 

Adorable action that shot straight through a certain someone’s heart.

“How have you been? Clearly the longer limbs serve you well,” Amuro inquired, motioning for the other to join him on top of the white hood of the car. Without hesitation, Shinichi jumped next to the blonde and answered - for the first time in a while - honestly. It was liberating, the opportunity to just be himself, with nothing put upon or faked. They both knew each other far too well to let such insignificant, feeble feelings between them. Not after what they both went through and accomplished after long years of struggles.

“How’s your job? Now that there’s no double, triple identities on your shoulders?” Shinichi asked between the bites of the sandwich - courtesy of the other. It never occurred to him to grab something to eat for lunch.

And just as the day before, the discussion lasted into the wee hours of the day, during which they talked, raced some more - overall it ended in a tie - or just simply laid sprawled on top of the car’s hood.

Also, just like yesterday, at the end of it, Shinichi thanked Rei with a kiss to the cheek.

So, the detective was an adrenaline junkie. Just as Kaito loved to fly through the sky on his glider, Shinichi was enamored with soaring through the roads in his car.

The ugly feeling in magician’s stomach churned violently, however.

* * *

**Wednesday**

Disguising as one Suzuki Sonoko was the worst idea in Kaito’s whole life.

Nothing gained.

* * *

**Thursday**

Shinichi decided to flex his muscles a bit. As much as talking the day away with Hattori and Rei were funny and entertaining in its own way, his body demanded exercise. And, well, truth be told, for what he had in mind in the future, keeping his body in shape was a necessity. Thus, with his trusty, worn out ball tucked under his arm, he made his way to the field in Beika, his favorite one, where he used to practice in middle school.

Putting the ball down, he started with a little warm up, it wouldn’t do for him to pull a muscle and spend another days - weeks? - bedridden. Plus, there was also Haibara’s wrath to consider…

Dribbling lightly from foot to foot, knee, head, knee and back again, Shinichi kicked the ball high and upon its descend shot it in the upper left corner.

“Damn, I was aiming for the right one,” He muttered in displeasure and moved to pick up his ball, only to notice someone else already kicking it in his direction.

“Try three to five millimeters to the right on your foot from where you touched it now,” The young man said, moving away, to the side.

“H-Hide? Wh-What are you doing here?” Shinichi asked, flabbergasted, the ball absentmindedly kicked from knee to knee.

“I was passing by when I heard someone kicking. Lo and behold, the skinny detective practicing his shoots,” Hide answered with a smirk, brow raised impatiently.

Getting the hint, Shinichi tried to put the advice to the test and, to his surprise, the ball now hit on the right side of the gate.

“You’re not twisting your body enough,” The soccer player murmured, moving to stand behind the sleuth, “Here, move like this,” He grabbed the detective’s waist and slowly twisted it back and forth.

Shinichi’s neck felt a little warm at the contact, though he tried to focus on what the other was doing. Nodding in understanding, he positioned the ball again and kicked, blinking in rapid succession when the object hit its mark on the right upper corner.

“There you go,” Hide beamed at him, and Shinichi returned the gesture, trying the same method and succeeding ten out of ten.

“Thank you. I’ve been trying to perfect it for quite some time now. Can’t believe that’s all it took,”

“Muscles play a big part of it, so make sure to keep them in shape. I assume you’re trying to imitate the…”

And their conversation shifted to various famous players, allowing the detective to fanboy about his favorite sport to his heart’s content.

At the end of the day, when both of them were sweaty and panting, Shinichi breathlessly thanked Hide with a loud smooch to his cheek.

So, he liked,_ loved_ the soccer. If not for the whole detective business, Kaito had a feeling he’d be seeing Shinichi a lot on the television, playing for a professional team.

  
  


Still, that ugly feeling moved to his chest and spread its wings.

* * *

**Friday**

So, Kaito knew he was risking a heck of a lot more than this whole past week. He knew it all too well, but if there was anyone Shinichi was most comfortable with, it was Mouri Ran.

Thus, it’s why he’s currently standing in a quite a breezy dress, knee high boots and a coat, wrapped up to his ears in a scarf, waiting outside the amusement park.

“Sorry, Ran! Did you wait long?” Shinichi panted as he stopped in front of her, taking huge gulps of air.

“Mou, you’re always late,”

“Sorry, sorry. Haibara wanted to probe some more needles into me and it took longer than I expected,” He straightened up, frowning a little when he saw where they were, exactly.

“Is everything alright?” Her eyes followed his line of vision, and a similar expression appeared on her face, “Bad memories?”

“Must you even ask?” He let out a bitter chuckle, fixing the scarf.

“We can go somewhere else, Shin-”

“No, it’s fine,” He cut her off, nodding with a smile, “It’s about time to face those demons,”

“If you’re sure…” Ran answered in a uncertain voice, yet her concerns flew out the window when a hand grabbed her own one.

“This time, don’t let me out of your sight,” The detective supplied quietly, a splash of color adoring his cheeks, “And don’t lie. Your hands are freezing. Clearly you’ve been waiting for a while,” Without waiting for a confirmation, Shinichi put their joined hands inside his coat’s pocket.

Ran’s face was ablaze. Well, Kaito’s face was. And for once he couldn’t be more thankful for that latex skin hiding the embarrassing evidence.

Was this Shinichi at his most laid back? True friend and a.. a… _flirt_?

_ ‘What happened to being in love with me?’ _ Kaito thought bitterly, letting the detective lead them to various attractions.

Shinichi noticed the sudden change in the mood, but decided not to comment on it. Clearly, Ran had a lot to think about.

“Are you ok? I mean, after the whole…” The brunette made a motion with her free hand, indicating the recent happenings.

“Health wise? I’m perfectly fine. Which you should know, judging by how often you and Haibara report to each other,” Shinichi tsk’ed in fake displeasure, his thumb brushing on the inside of her wrist, “Heart wise? Well,  when someone steals it not even the law can help you, so I guess I’m alright? Coping?” He let out a small chuckle at the quickened pulse he picked up from the warm skin of the other.

“I’m… glad,” Ran’s voice was soft and quiet, her eyes slightly glazed over, “Seeing you so dejected, it- It really tore at our hearts, Shinichi,”

“Ran…” The detective stopped and abruptly pulled her in a tight hug, pressing his face in her scarf, “Thank you. For being there for me,”

“S-sure. A-anytime,” She stuttered out an answer, something which amused the sleuth. With a deep breath, he pulled away and smiled widely.

“Come on, let’s do this properly this time,” And it’s with those words, that he broke into a run to their first ride. All the while keeping their hands linked.

By the end of the evening, Kaito was thoroughly confused, feeling like he swallowed a bitter pill, and someone prodded him in the chest. With an ice pick.

Sure, he had a great time. For being two different entities, Shinichi clearly received a part of Tantei-kun’s childishness, which showed, especially tonight.

But that was the problem. _He_ had a blast. The detective on the other hand, thought he had a rather romantic… date - and in came the bitter taste again - with his childhood sweetheart.

So, what? Were all those words about feelings and love a lie? Was he playing with him, after all? 

“Ran. Ran?” The voice brought him back from his dreadful thoughts and Kaito blinked when a certain building came into view.

“Huh?” What were they doing outside the Mouri detective agency? Oh, right. Not only a flirt, but also a _gentleman_, so of course he’d drove her home.

“We’re here,” Shinichi said and left the car, only to open the passenger door for her, as if to add the salt to the already irritated wound.

“Thank you,” Ran answered and got out, stopping when she reached the stairs. 

“No, thank you. I had a lovely time tonight,” Shinichi supplied gently, brushing a stray lock of hair that fell on her face.

Kaito’s breath shuddered, because, well, that was a classical set up for a kiss-after-the-date, no? Any second now, he’s going to kiss him. Kiss _Ran_.

“I’m not going to,” Shinichi’s voice, as if reading his thoughts, said, and the detective moved closer, pressing his forehead against the wall, just above her shoulder. And in doing so, pushing the brunette tight against the flat surface, as well.

“But I want to,” He whispered, nose nuzzling the small patch of skin on the neck he managed to uncover. They stayed like that for a good few minutes, hearts beating erratically, senses heightened due to the close proximity. 

And suddenly a quiet chuckle broke the moment.

Kaito felt fit to faint.

“You_ knew_,” He whispered in disbelieve, “You bloody knew it. All this time!” He tried to move away, but the other only pressed forward more.

“Of course I did,” He murmured, the warm breath brushing against the skin caused a rather pleasant shiver up the magician’s spine.

“Hattori never drinks hot chocolate. Rei can drive in a way neither you and I combined ever could achieve. Hide is currently in Kyoto. I’m not even going to start on the whole Sonoko thing,” Finally he moved away to regard Kaito with warm gaze.

“But, Mou-”

“And Ran already has a boyfriend,” Shinichi finished, stroking his thumb on the covered in latex cheek. Kaito felt all air leave his lungs, that gaze was so intense, transfixed solely on him, that it made him want to drown in the azure depths and never resurface.

  
  


“So… you’re not going around kissing everyone on the cheek?” The magician asked, once again grateful for the protection hiding his inflamed skin.

“Do I seem like the type?” Shinichi asked back, voice laced with amusement.

“N-no,”

“Well, then, there you go,” And as soon as he moved away, Kaito wanted to pull him back, already missing the warmth of the other, “I suggest you go back to your home. Or do you need a ride?”

“No, I’m fine,” The magician said, a small frown marring his face. One that Shinichi noticed, only this time he decided to comment on it.

“You’re not going to?” Kaito asked, throwing the other off for a second.

“Going to, what?”

“Kiss me? Like you did every time?”

There was a bit of a pause, as the detective considered his next words carefully, planning no more misunderstandings between them.

“No. I did it just to screw with you, to make you maybe even a little bit jealous,”

“And now it’s different?”

“Now, when you know I know, kissing you on the cheek would not be enough,” Shinichi smiled helplessly, “It would be an insult to my feelings for you to properly kiss you when you’re looking like someone else,”

Kaito was left rendered speechless, frozen stiff, unable to do nothing, but watch how Shinichi waved him goodbye with a small smile and turned, making his way back to his car.

Any second now, he’s going to disappear inside.

Any minute now, he’s going to drive away.

How much longer would Kaito need to wait for another opportunity to be so open with the detective? 

How much more would Shinichi need to prove to him just how special he was, taking most of the space in his heart?

And when would Kaito prove to the detective that he meant so much more than he thought he did?

_ ‘Tomorrow,’ _ He thought, pulling out his phone and dialing Jii’s number.

Tomorrow, he’d go to Shinichi’s house and clear it all once and for all.

_ And kiss the living daylights out of the detective. _

* * *

However, the next day, when he ventured inside the white building in a secluded area, there was no trace of anyone living there.

As if the place was deserted for a very long time.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm feeling like such a cock block right now >.< And I wanted them to kissss sooo baaaad. Why me, why? Also, I just adore Amuro. If not for Kaito I'd be shipping the heck out of them ^.^


	11. The Eve of the End

Shinichi parked the car outside his home, still dressed in that aloof, goofy smile, the memories of the whole day - week, really - replaying in his mind with a sort of fondness. If Kaito was truly ready to divulge so much time to prepare several disguises all just to get to know him better, then maybe there really was a speck of feelings blooming for him inside the magician. 

With a quiet sigh, Shinichi got out of the car, once again complaining mentally about his lack in the deduction of 'his intended heart' department. Just as before, with Ran, he had no idea what - if - Kaito truly held a certain degree of romantic affection for him. 

He was a detective, for crying out loud! He should know, not need to hear the answer.

_ ‘Well, hearing it wouldn’t be so bad, either…’ _ A singular thought slipped out, betraying his true reason.

Lost in the musings positive and negative, the brunette shuddered at the biting cold, only now realizing he’s still outside. Blowing warm air into his palms, the detective walked inside the house and instantly felt his body strain taut like a violin string.

Something was wrong.

Not the kind of wrong that the home was abandoned, if the little light filtering through the gap between the door to the basement was any indication.

Stepping out of his shoes, Shinichi readied his tranquilizer watch before he reached under the small table and pulled out a gun hidden there. A simple 9 mm Glock 19, but it’s all he needed for protection in case of emergency. Slowly pushing the door he made his way down, each step measured and careful, until he arrived at his destination.

And promptly dropped the gun, the item clattering with a loud sound.

Two pair of eyes swiftly moved to the intruder and Shinichi found himself on the end of another gun pointed right between his eyes.

“Kudou-kun,” Haibara sighed, the tension in her body visibly lessening.

“What’s going on here?” The detective asked, looking between the girl and the familiar mop of blonde hair. Said head moved slightly away, revealing another person on the table.

Unconscious and covered in blood.

“Vermouth! What the hell happened?” Shinichi’s eyes bore into the one who - hopefully - held the answers to the storm of questions already brewing inside his mind. 

“She contacted me earlier tonight, asking for a pick up. I never imagined that’s what she had in mind. I’m sorry for barging in on you like this, but I couldn’t take her to the hosp-”

“That’s not what I’m asking, Rei!_ What. Happened _?” 

The blonde hesitated, his eyes shifting between the two women, the young detective and his bloodied hands, before closing with a sigh of finality.

“Gin found her,”

Three simple words, that in a split second crumbled Shinichi’s current state of the world.

He barely heard Amuro talking about the man finding an accomplice. Someone from a smaller organization, on the lookout for something. He almost missed the wide, hollow eyes of his little housemate, and the way her breathing became shallow.

Though what caught his attention, was the mention of the previously mentioned accomplice targeting a certain elusive thief, a ‘bothersome obstacle’.

Shinichi choked on air, his intake of oxygen ceasing all together. 

Amuro realized with horror, that his fellow detective had a panic attack, if the pale complexion, trembling, sweating and smothered breaths were any indication.

“Shinichi-kun, you need to calm down,” He tried in a gentle tone, putting a reassuring hand on the other’s shoulder. Yet, to no avail. If anything, it seemed the symptoms only intensified.

“Shinichi. _ Calm down _!” The blonde called loudly, slapping the brunette’s cheek with the back of his hand. 

The loud gulps of air that followed were like music to his ear.

“Wh-What did he say? Gin, I mean,” 

His mind, rebooted after the unexpected and dreadful news, already started working again. Better stir those grey cells he’s so proud of, rather than relapse into another fit of panic. 

Thinking and connecting the dots. 

He was good at it.

“Unfortunately, when I found her, she was barely conscious. Passed out after whispering that name,” Rei muttered quietly, and only now the young sleuth noticed that the other’s fists were clenched tightly.

He knew that a pair of blondes, however their connection came to be, were as close as brother and sister. So it came as no surprise that the PSB officer was so distressed over the well-being of his partner in ex-crime. 

With yet another deep sigh, Shinichi picked up the previously discarded gun, his gaze stopping at the small speck of light reflected on the trigger.

If Gin managed to track down Vermouth, he was sure that finding this place was only a matter of time. They needed to move out of here, and fast. Leave no trace of anything pertaining to them behind. Not let Gin track them, nor grab at something to explore and use as a weakness.

_ ‘A weakness…’ _Shinichi’s mind supplied quietly, the picture of Kaito’s indigo eyes flashing behind his closed lids briefly.

He truly was cursed, wasn’t he?

Just when his life stabilized, just when he finally managed to dive out of that black pool of negativity surrounding him, just when things were finally looking up for him and the magician…

He needed to leave him behind and jump head in into the abyss gazing back at him.

Only this time, he wasn’t so sure he’s going to break free of it.

“Let’s go, Rei. We need to wipe this place clean and leave as soon as possible. Ver is in good hands, just let Haibara do what she’s best at,” Shinichi’s voice was steady - as if the last few minutes never transpired - already pulling out his phone as he moved to the small staircase and upstairs.

The call connected after a single ring.

“Akai? I need a favour,”

Of one thing, however, he was certain.

He’s going to protect Kaito. Protect the Magician Under The Moonlight.

Protect the possibility of their future.

Or die trying.

* * *

Another day. 

Another hour.

Still no word from Shinichi.

Kaito was ready to rip his hair out in a fit of… anger? Fear? Confusion?

It was like losing Tantei-kun all over again, only worse.

Because he got a glimpse of the real persona hiding behind the thick glasses. 

Got a taste of what it’d be like to spend even more time with the detective.

Without disguises and put upon fronts.

Just them as they were.

“You’re screwed when you start to notice the details,” A flawless female voice whispered to his right, and Kaito blinked, only now remembering that they were currently gathered at Aoko’s place, celebrating Christmas.

That’s right. Today was 23rd of December. They were supposed to celebrate a joyous occasion, but it seemed that both he and Inspector Nakamori were in no cheery moods.

Not that he could blame the man. After all, for the first time in three years, Kaitou KID send no heist notice for a special celebration with his Task Force.

But how could he, when his head was filled with nothing, but thoughts of various kinds about a certain azure eyed young man?

He tried sending secret messages to newspapers, hoping that Shinichi’d notice and contact him.

Heck, he even visited the Mouri girl and openly asked what the hell was going on with Shinichi, and to get his phone number. 

Really, for a pair of geniuses, they were both utterly useless when it came to the romantic feelings department, if they never thought of exchanging contact information.

Sadly, Ran was as clueless as himself, her blue eyes glazed over with panic. Kaito understood, she experienced something like this once before, so it left no room for surprise, when she immediately started calling all the numbers in her mobile phone that could provide at least a single clue. 

They both came out of the visit empty handed.

“Huh?” Kaito voiced, looking at Akako, dressed in a Ms. Santa outfit.

“When you get to admire the shape of his eyes and even the length of his brow,” The witch continued with a small smirk, secretly pleased at something, “When you get to see the flash of his face in your mind on a random day or when you have his favorite facial expression stuck in your memory,”

“Akako what are you tr-”

“And worse when you start to have it all in your mind. Then you start to miss him,” She finished in a serious tone and Kaito swallowed audibly, quite familiar with that tone. It usually spelled bad things to come. 

> _“Beware the darkness of a Demon,_
> 
> _Beware the adversary from Hell,_
> 
> _Beware the talons of power and fire,_
> 
> _Protect one who is not what he seems,_
> 
> _Something is coming to shake your world,_
> 
> _Something is coming to scorch the ground,_
> 
> _Demon of Light will fall beneath moon and ice,_
> 
> _Unless the white dove of night can be found,”_

“What?” Kaito breathed, eyes blown wide. He remembered hearing about this ‘Demon of Light’ from Akako a few years back, during one of his most exciting heists. But to sprout out a prophecy - as she called it - so long and detailed?

“That’s the message from Lucifer. Apparently, he’s not a keen fan of harvesting souls long before their time, so he asked me to pass it to you,”

“Yeah, yeah, sure. But what’s that got to do with me? I don’t know any demon,” Kaito answered with a frown. The witch, in turn, smirked, her white teeth gleaming.

“Don’t you? Whose face do you see when you close your eyes? Whose orbs got you so captivated you’re on the brink of insanity?” 

_‘Shinichi,’_ The answer came immediately, without much conscious effort. 

Kaito did a double take and laughed loudly, ignorant of the tears cascading freely down his cheeks.

So, that was it, wasn’t it?

The reason why he couldn’t stay away from the detective, be it little or big.

Why he kept on marking his territory unconsciously.

For god’s sake - his eyes raked over to the twin brunettes and their respective partners - he even challenged Mouri-san back on the airship, spouting crap like _ “stealing is what thieves do best, even if it’s a person’s heart” _!

And all those times he literally dropped anything and everything at hand just to help his favorite, little critique. 

Really, in any other situation, he’d be jumping for joy, throwing doves, confetti and whatever else was packed in his sleeves.

Yet, all he could do, was laugh in realization, and cry in mourning.

For the love that would never be.

Because, as much as he wanted, he couldn’t forge a relationship with someone who kept on disappearing, disregarding what it did to those left behind. 

“If you love someone, you want to be with them, isn’t that common sense?” Kaito whispered pathetically, slumping forward in his chair, the bangs covering his eyes.

Kuroba Kaito was an aspiring magician.

Phantom Thief 1412, Kaitou KID was a king.

_ ‘I was a king, under your control. You made me feel like you’ve let me go. So let me go,’ _

“Kaito-kun?” Another female voice brought him out of his musing. Looking up, the magician spotted Ran sat in the chair next to him, “What’s wrong?”

“Nothing,” He replied immediately, his voice much darker than intended. However the brunette merely raised her brow at him.

“Is it about Shinichi?”

“Why do you think it’s about him?”

“Because right now you have the same expression on your face that I used to wear when he disappeared,” Ran smiled sympathetically, like she understood.

And Kaito was certain she, of all people, did.

“I just- I don’t understand. If you love someone, you don’t leave them behind to run off somewhere, no?”

“Hm,” She hummed quietly, and just when the magician was ready to up and walk away from the whole party, she stopped him with her next words.

“Shinichi is- well… he’s not exactly your _typical_ guy. Especially when it comes to romance - he’s as oblivious to his own feeling as it gets - despite being very keen when it’s about others,” Here, Kaito couldn’t help but snort in agreement. 

“But I’ve learned one thing from the whole ‘Conan’ time. He has no qualms about using people who are his acquaintances. Drawing them in his schemes, putting them in harm’s way. However… He will never, ever endanger someone close to him. Someone he cares about and loves,” She gently grasped and squeezed the magician’s hand.

“Do you understand? Right now, there’s only_ one_ person in the whole world, who he’d _never_ contact, assuming he’s involved in something really dangerous,” Saying so, her blue eyes bore into his indigo ones, silently pleading him to understand what she’s implying.

“Finally! KID sent out a heist notice!” Nakamori’s voice bellowed from somewhere in the kitchen, gaining everyone’s attention.

* * *

“Well, if that doesn’t spell Pandora I don’t know what else does,” Haibara commented over his shoulder, studying the heist notice.

“It seems more like a poem, rather than a notice,” Kudou Yuusaku pinched in, admiring the elegant curve of his son’s writing. Shinichi snorted. Once a parent, always a parent.

“That’s so romantic! It’s like a love letter! Right, Chika-chan?” Yukiko added in with a ever present chirp in her voice. Here, the young detective blushed beet red.

He still couldn’t get over the fact that his parents knew Kaito’s parents. And quite close, too.

It explained, however, the ‘brother’ piece of the puzzle that was the late Kaitou KID.

With a sigh, Shinichi leaned back in the chair and looked over his work. He needed to praise Kaito for coming up with the patience and originality of writing those notices the next time he saw him.

_‘That is, if he’ll want to see me again,’_ The bitter thought slipped out, but he brushed it away. He couldn’t afford himself the luxury of sulking. 

> Here, in this tower,
> 
> Bound by gold clamps to thin walls of gold,
> 
> I, who am pure mineral, neither mortal nor ghost,
> 
> Remain doomed to abide.
> 
> Of those who are sent here only the living escape.
> 
> I endure the doom of rock,
> 
> Inhabited by light and never at home –
> 
> No, never, never for a minute
> 
> Since I was taken from the stomach of this earth,
> 
> Envious of my transparence, but unaware of my gaze,
> 
> I, who have never cared to be a seer,
> 
> Have seen these things
> 
> And ask only now,
> 
> To be sheltered from the light that can never be mine.
> 
> Kaitou KID 

In eight days from now, on the Eve of the New Year, it’s all going to end.

One way or another. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Kaito's having a little mental breakdown. My poor boy. Well, all in all it's kind of a filler chapter, but I hope you like it =)


	12. All In

Kaito was - mildly put - pissed off beyond comprehension.

First, Shinichi left without prior notice, dropping off from the face of the Earth.

Second, the utterly _ heartless _ detective never, in any way, contacted him. No message, no note, nothing.

Third, the bastard had the gals to appear on a national television, smiling all teeth, answering questions about the upcoming KID heist.

And it’s not even him that send the notice!

The bloody  _ motherfu-! _ As someone who claimed to love him, shouldn’t Shinichi be aware that it’s an impostor, and not the real deal?!

And don’t get him even started on the note itself!

The bloody thing _ screamed _ Pandora in big, bold, neon letters to him. His first reaction upon reading it - still at Nakamori’s place - was to bolt out and storm the museum housing the target. 

Luckily, the small rational part of his brain - brought fort by a memory of his father’s words speaking of poker face - won the struggle and he remained sat still, contemplating his next move.

It took him all of seven days to concoct a plan. Both to expose the impostor and snatch the potential candidate jewel from them.

As for Shinichi, well, he’d get to tearing him apart when the time’s right.

* * *

Snake could tell people apart by their smell. Someone who’s frightened, foolishly brave, thinking they could survive any kind of situation with a grain of luck on their side.

He could pinpoint with precision a person’s occupation. Someone who’s a simple gopher, a salary man of low standing.

Someone who’s a true leader, brains and not brawls.

The man standing before him - Gin, as he named himself - was no small fry. Supposedly the only escapee of a captured nationwide organization, had that distinct smell that told Snake he was no pushover.

If anything, the long haired entity was emitting enough hatred - focused solely on one person - to nearly choke him.

No, this man was no member. He was a shadow king.

“Are we clear?” Gin asked, stopping his musings short.

“What if it doesn’t work?”

“Send him my way then,”

“And what about me?”

The smirk that appeared bode not well for him, the intimidation of it intensified by a shadow from fedora covering the man’s face.

“Consider yourself free of duty,”

* * *

“Shinichi-kun,” The quiet voice whispered from partially opened door, and a woman walked inside the small room, her breath hitching up at the sight before her.

The young detective blinked, his eyes meeting hers in the mirror’s reflection, both silent as they regarded each other.

“You really do look a lot like them,” Chikage murmured with a small smile as she walked closer to the sleuth.

“You don’t look to bad yourself, ma’am,” Shinichi answered with a trademark KID grin, using the thief’s confident voice - courtesy of a voice changer.

“Oh, you flirt, you,” She laughed lightly and reached to fix the red tie and smother the wrinkles in the white jacket.

“Mom always used to tell me that it’s important to get into the character before the show begins,” Shinichi replied, feeling both sheepish and embarrassed.

“Thank you,” Chikage mumbled and if not for their close proximity, the detective would’ve missed it. His question was hidden in the sudden blink of his - still azure - eyes.

“For everything. For doing this. For putting yourself in harm’s way just to protect Kaito,” Her voice trembled, hands fisting the white fabric of his sleeves, “I don’t know what I’d do if I lost him, too,”

“Don’t worry,” Shinichi’s voice was steady as he replied, gently embracing the shaking woman, “You will never have to wonder about that, I promise,”

And she couldn’t help it, she smiled. Her eyes crinkled at the edges, showing her real age, mouth curving up in what was intended as a smile, but morphed into a small smirk in the end.

“You really love my son, huh?”

And Shinichi promptly blushed to the roots of his hair, caught off guard by the question and realization that it’s Kaito’s _ mother _ that he’s currently comforting.

“I-um… that is, well-” He stuttered. Bloody _ stuttered _ , like a teenage boy caught doing something he shouldn’t.

“I’m glad. That it’s you. After Toichi’s death that boy never let anyone come close to himself, afraid of losing them. And the notion only intensified when he decided to carry on his father’s legacy,”

Yeah, Shinichi could relate to that. After he became Conan, with the threat of the Black Organization breathing down his neck, any and every connection to him could be fatal to those around him. But, luckily, he had a few stubborn people in his life who simply refused to budge and leave him alone to his own demise.

Kaito… he was alone. Aside from his mother and the elderly assistant, he had no one to confide into, to share the overwhelming burden he was forced to carry everyday.

“I love him. And I will do everything in my power for him,” Shinichi whispered meekly with closed lids - the picture of Kaito’s smiling face behind them.

“I just hope he’ll forgive me.  _ Again _ ,”

Chikage’s eyes widened, a sudden dread overcoming her.

“You mean you didn’t tell him about this? About the plan?”

“How could I?” The sleuth chuckled, pinching the bridge of his nose where the monocle rested, “He’d want to help, like always. I couldn’t afford the luxury of his aid this time, when I’m doing this to protect him all for my selfish reasons,”

“Oh dear,” Chikage breathed, already feeling a headache forming, “If I were you, I’d prepare myself. Kai-chan’s retribution can be very… vengeful,”

Shinichi snorted to hide his nervousness.

* * *

_ “Ladies and gentleman!” _

Kaito wanted to gag at the familiar line, called by the familiar figure, in even more familiar voice.

His voice.

That took the _bloody cake_ of pent up frustration build up for over two weeks.

“Kuroba-kun?” A sudden voice called - halting his sprint to the wannabe thief to rip his disguise apart in front of everyone - and its tone surprised him enough to pause and look back. Only to meet equally - if not more - bewildered eyes of the blonde detective.

“Wh-What are you-?” His gaze kept shifting between his friend and the white entity currently wreaking havoc with the Task Force.

“Finally got your proof I’m not KId, eh, Hakuba?” Kaito teased with a smug smirk. One thing to thank the impostor for.

“No, that’s not, but… You’re not supposed to be here tonight,” The blonde whispered so that only he could hear, and the answer threw him in for a loop. Why shouldn’t he be here? He participated in plenty of heists preparations before - and during them, too, but well - so his presence here should be treated as something normal, no?

“What are you talking abo-” His voice faltered, indigo orbs widened in surprise concealed by the repressed feeling of fury bubbling inside.

There he was.

In all his goddamn beautiful bloody azure glory.

Shinichi.

Before he realized, his body already moved, pushing through the crown to clasp a hand on the other’s shoulder, and quite tightly, too.

In passing, his brain registered how slim and fragile the shoulder seemed.

“You bastard,” He breathed - growled, actually - into Shinichi’s ear, forcing the detective to turn and blink rapidly.

“Kai-”

But Kaito was hearing none of the excuses. He finally caught the idiot, so he’s going to let him hear it.

“What the actual fuck, Shinichi?! You say you love me, then up and disappear with no contact no noth-”

“Why are you here?” Shinichi’s panicked voice asked.

“Huh? Why? Obviously because -”

“You need to leave this place. Right now,” Shinichi said urgently, already pulling on Kaito’s arm to guide him outside.

Now it was the magician’s turn for confusion.

“What are you talking about? Why are people telling me I shouldn’t be here. I have every bloody right to be wherever the fu-”

_ “Kai-chan,” _

Kaito paused, his face frozen.

It was Shinichi’s face, Shinichi’s clothes, heck even Shinichi’s voice.

But…

There’s only one person in the whole world who called him that.

_“Mom?”_ He’s barely comprehending what’s unfolding right before him, but those eyes. They may be his beloved azure color now, but the warmth, the love and concern behind them spoke of motherly feelings for a son. For him.

“Later. We need to leave. You can’t be here. Your presence alone can ruin the entire plan,” She whispered quickly, pushing through the crown to the exit.

“What _plan_? Why are you disguised as Shinichi? Where is he?”

His mother paused, and threw him a side glance. It was sad, yet at the same time hopeful. Brave, but smudged with a certain degree of fear.

And immediately Kaito understood why. He felt stupid for not realizing it sooner, as soon as he discovered his mother in disguise.

There was only one person - save for Jii - who could impersonate KID with no trouble. All he’d need were the clothes, certainly provided to him by the person standing before him.

And just as the exhibition room filled with white feathers, glitter and smoke, Kaito’s face paled to an ashen color.

“You can’t!” Chikage urged, breathing a sigh of relieve when they finally reached the door.

“But Shinichi- He’s there! Those people could-!”

“I know!” His mother screamed, dropping the disguise as soon as she dragged them to a nearby, abandoned alley, “Don’t you think he knows the risk?! Of course he does. He thought out this whole plan!”

“But… why?” Kaito’s voice was small, quiet. He had an idea why. Followed by a whole line of reasoning as to why the detective ceased all contact with him during their separation, as well.

And he hated himself for feeling utterly helpless at the misplaced anger directed at the sleuth.

“Obviously, because he loves you,” Chikage answered as if it was the most obvious thing in the world. And it’d appear that it was, to everyone, but him.

“And that look in your eyes tells me his feeling aren’t as one-sided as he thinks,”

“Wait-_what_?” Kaito mumbled shocked, stopping the process of deciding the possible escape routes Shinichi - KID - could use to leave the museum.

“Well, you keep giving him mixed signals, never said anything about how and what you’re feeling. I can’t blame him for being uncertain,” Chikage answered calmly, in her ‘I’m berating you right now’ voice, but Kaito heard none of it.

So, Shinichi, the ever stupid, lovable, self-sacrificing idiot was up there, possibly putting his life on the line, without even being certain of how Kaito felt about him?

“How much of an idiot can you get?!” The magician growled and dropped a smoke bomb he prepared for tonight, to escape from his mother’s clutches. 

He still wanted to skin Shinichi alive.

Only, now for an entirely different reason.

* * *

_“Alpha-1, the Swallow is heading for the roof. Approximately 68 seconds until arrival,”_ Jodie’s voice called over the radio, and Shinichi couldn’t help the small chuckle that escaped. Really, the woman was too precise for her own good.

_“Alpha-1, received,”_ A calm voice answered, washing its calmness over the detective slash magician like much needed balm.

While the tricks and sleight of hands he performed downstairs - courtesy of a crash course from a certain Phantom Lady - were the fun part of his mission, the worst has yet to come.

_ “Omega-3 here, I spotted suspicious movement on the other side of the roof,” _

“Swallow, received. Remain in your position until further notice,” Shinichi answered the call, feeling a twitch in his gut. True, he encountered murderers vying for his life before. He just never actively walked into one’s trap, was all.

Finally, he reached the top of the stairs and pushed open the door, letting the cold night’s air cool his frying nerves.

He could do it. He saw it so many times he knew the motions like the back of his hand.

Stroll to the railing, pull up the gem, bask it in the moonlight.

And that’s what he did, his movement precise and calm, as the Phantom Magician’s should be.

Though he faked a sigh when there was no reaction from the item itself.

“Hand over the jewel, KID,” A raspy voice called from the darkness. Shinichi waited with a bated breath - his face a plain one - as the man emerged from the shadows, followed by his grunts. All of them held a gun aimed at the magician.

“Snake, what a pleasure to see you tonight,” Shinichi grinned, cocking his head to one side, “Though the company is a touch too much, don’t you think?”

“Enough with your games. Hand over the gem and no one gets hurt,” Snake growled, unlocking the safety on his gun.

“I don’t suppose that’s possible, seeing as I’m the only one present,”

He needed just a few more moments. He could hear everyone communicating through the radio, Akai throwing orders to everyone participating in this operation. He just needed a few-

“We know about your boyfriend, KID. The detective who got shrunk, Kudou. I know someone who’d love to get his hands on him,” Shinichi grimaced and frowned, the implications were very clear. Bloody torture and gory death. That’s what Gin dreamed of doing to him.

“And where is this person? I’d love to meet them,” He cursed himself for the momentary shake present in his voice, but luckily Snake seemed not to notice it.

“Well, seeing as you’re going to drop dead here, I might as well tell you. He asked me to pass a message to your boy,”

Shinichi tensed, and that, the bastard in a fedora noticed, taking great pleasure at the reaction.

“And what was the message?”

“If you don’t want the karate girl and your magic boy to get hurt, come to the top floor of Haido Hotel at midnight. Alone,”

Two hours left, Shinichi’s mind supplied, and his body tensed as Snake put the pressure on the trigger. 

“Enough chit-chat, hand over the jewel,”

"Don’t wanna~!” Shinichi grinned widely and threw a small bomb containing a sleeping gas to the floor, letting it erupt. His original plan was intended for a single person, good thing he came prepared for the possibility of them being in numbers.

And as soon as the man made cloud enveloped the group, another one barged in through the door - all wearing gas masks.

With astonishment, Shinichi spotted Ran, Hattori and even Kyogoku Makoto, all taking out the grunts with little to no effort. 

He truly was blessed to be friends with people who could take care of themselves.

Though, he’d need to have a chat with his father about pulling out all stops.

“You bastard,” Snake’s weak voice reached his ears, and Shinichi nearly purred in satisfaction at the picture of a man in handcuffs, held by the FBI operatives, “It was a trap,”

“What, like yours wasn’t?” He grinned cheekily, only to grimace a moment later when he felt something sharp in his left arm.

He looked to it and gulped, seeing the red seeping there. Really, his arms and bullets liked each other far too much for his taste.

“Shi-KID!” Ran’s panicked voice called out, but he used his good hand to calm her that he was fine.

Though the same could not be said about Snake. He was slumped forward, still in the clutches of two men, a trickle of blood oozing out of him.

Gun shot straight through the head. Immediate death.

  
  


At this point, he wasn’t even surprised. That’s how the Organization operated. Leave no crumb behind.

“Come on, let’s go,” Ran’s voice brought him back, his eyes looking up to lock with hers.

He knew she wanted to take him to the hospital to patch up his wound and remove the bullet still lodged in his arm. But doing so would waste the precious time he had left to get to Gin. He couldn’t afford that. He promised himself - and Chikage-san - that it’d all end tonight. And by the message passed to him, Gin knew about Kaito. There’s no way any of them would be safe should tonight end with one of the two men escaping justice.

“I’m sorry, Ran. I need to do this,” Shinichi murmured, and took the three steps separating him from the railing, before jumping head down over it.

He could vaguely hear her screams, but it all faded to nothing with the frosty wind howling in his ears. Once more, he marveled at how the magician managed all those tricky escapes, no matter the weather.

Pulling out the glider, he maneuvered to the more deserted part of the district, free falling the last few meters so as to not crash to the side of the building. 

  
  


The impact of his body hitting the ground was greater than he expected, though, so he used both his arms to soften it as much as possible. Crying out when he remembered that one of said arms still had a bullet in them.

Groaning at the sudden vertigo that overcame his vision, Shinichi leaned against the brick wall, breathing deeply, trying to calm himself and the pain flaring up his left side.

It took him few minutes to regain his senses and bearing, remembering he still needed to get out of the KID costume. The thing was just too damn eye catching.

Pulling up his phone, he navigated through the small alleyways to the garbage bin that hid the bag with his civilian clothes in it. 

For moment there, as he rounded the last corner, Shinichi could swear he saw someone hovering over the heap of garbage, but it all disintegrated with another wave of vertigo upon being hit by a truck.

At least, that’s what it felt like to him.

Only, trucks weren’t soft and warm, and had no hands, like the ones currently pinning him to the wall.

“You _bastard_,” The voice, his voice, growled low in Shinichi’s ear and only when the darkness moved away - Kaito’s wild mop of hair - could the detective catch a pair of blazing indigo looking at him.

“Kaito,” He breathed, longing and other emotions he kept suppressed for the last two weeks bubbling beneath the surface of his skin, entering his bloodstream once more.

“_What the hell_, Tantei-kun?! How could you…” Kaito trailed off, unsure of how to voice all the outrage threatening to flood out of his mouth.

“You’re mad with me,” Shinichi noticed, wanting to smother the wrinkle between the magician’s eyes but unable to due to being imprisoned.

“Am I mad? Absolutely. Hurt? You bet your sweet ass I’m hurt. Who doesn't feel a part of their heart break at that? I asked myself every question I could think of, what, why, how come, and then my sadness turned to anger,”

Shinichi smiled sadly. Kaito was finally talking, properly speaking about his feeling. Though not in a way the detective would like, he still considered it a progress of their friendship. 

Because, that’s all they’re going to be, no? So he might as well throw it all out in the open, too. His pent up emotions about the other.

“From the first time I laid eyes on you, I knew that you would be someone that would make me smile again. You had such a cocky, confident look on your face, but I knew there was comfort and friendship in your heart. We started out as enemies and you were - and still are - the rock I needed in my life,”

Kaito’s eyes widened at the sudden revelation, the tips of his ear turning a lovely shade of pink.

“I soon began to realize that what I was feeling for you was more than a friendship. Something so overwhelming and wonderful that I couldn't even believe it myself. Every night, I’d dream about you. You have corrupted my imagination and inflamed my blood.

Your wings of white protected me from the evil. Whatever happened - and will happen from now on - I want that small piece of me to reside near your heart. To remind you that you are not alone,” A lone tear slipped out of Shinichi’s eye, his voice much too thick for his liking, but nevertheless, he continued bravely on.

“You can ignore me, Kaito, and you can try to treat me as a friend, but none of that will erase the fact that I think about kissing you every second I’m awake and dream at night of my hands on your body. And it sure as hell won’t erase that I’m terrified by_ how much_ you mean to me,”

Kaito stared, shell shocked, trying - and failing - to process all of what he just heard. Yes, he knew Shinichi loved him, just… He never imagined the feeling to run so deep inside him. And he so openly told him about it. How it all began and developed from curiosity to something so wonderful. How he still wanted to be in Kaito’s life as a friend, even though the magician’s sure it’d bring the detective only suffering.

But what about him?

Could he live his life with Shinichi in it, only as a friend and companion?

His answer was a resolute growl that slipped past his slightly parted lips.

“You seem to misunderstand something here, so let me get this straight,” Kaito murmured lowly, darkly, his gaze boring into the other’s, “I’m here not because I am _supposed_ to be here, but because I’d rather be with you than anywhere else in the world,”

“Wha-” Shinichi’s eyes are wide, and proceed to widen even further when Kaito barked a loud laugh.

“I mean, at the end of the day, what the hell does it matter where I end up with if it can't be with _you_?”

“But I don’t-”

“Just shut up,” Kaito scowled and leaned forward, closing the distance between them. Doing what his heart and body wanted to do for a very long time now. It was short, but intense, and it left both of them breathless.

“Shinichi,” Kaito whispered, stroking the other’s cheek, and something inside him purred at the way the detective’s breath hitched, how the azure of his eyes gave way to the blackness of the dilating pupils.

_“Kiss me,”_ Shinichi demanded, and who was he, to deny his detective such a request?

They were kissing like crazy. Like their lives depended on it. Kaito’s tongue slipped inside Shinichi’s mouth, gentle but demanding, and it’s nothing like they’ve ever experienced, and suddenly the detective’s fingers gripped the magician’s hair, pulling him closer. His veins throbbed and their hearts exploded. They have never wanted anyone like this before. Ever. Kaito pushed him further backward and pressed flush against him. The weight of his body aligned with the other’s was extraordinary. Kaito could feel him — all of him — pressed against, and inhaled his shampoo, and that special scent that’s just … _him_. The most delicious smell he could ever imagine. He wanted to breathe him, lick him, eat him, drink him -

Suddenly Kaito slumped forward, his forehead scraping lightly against the brick wall. 

“I’m sorry, Kaito,” Shinichi whispered between the lungfuls of air, gently laying the magician down on the ground, 

“This is the last time, I promise. After that, no more running away or hiding,” As if to seal the professed words, Shinichi kneeled down and placed a gentle, chaste kiss to Kaito’s slightly swollen lips.

Forty-five minutes till midnight.

One, last obstacle remaining.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ehm... what can I say? At least they did kiss this time =D So that's a... progress? Also, I firmly believe Shinichi is a romantic at heart. It just takes the right person to pull it out of him. Same goes for the, ekhm, steamy stuff ^.^


	13. Inferno

Shinichi looked down at the slumbering form of Kaito, conflicted between the fondness spreading in his chest at the sight of the peaceful face and the rational sharpness that urged him to move forward. Putting the white suit next to the magician - he himself now donned in a crisp black dress shirt, along with matching suit pants and jacket - he brushed the stray, wild lock of hair from Kaito’s face before standing up. 

Thirty five minutes until midnight.

* * *

Kaito stirred, at first slowly, before the events of tonight forced his awareness to awaken from zero to hundred in a little over two seconds.

“Shinichi!” He called, only to be answered by a silent alleyway, his voice the only echo of a sound.

He let a rather colorful choice of words out loud, grabbing his Kaitou KID’s costume. And trying very hard to ignore the blossoms of red adorning the white fabric of the jacket. 

Why? Why wouldn’t Shinichi let him help with this? They took the whole bloody Organization together, so how was _one man_ any harder than this? 

“God dammit, you really make it very hard for me to trust you, Meitantei,” Kaito growled, eyes scanning the vicinity as his mind already calculated the idiot’s possible location.

_ ‘The bullet shot Shinichi while he was on the roof. Since it hit his left arm, the sniper was poised on the north-east side of the hotel. The best vantage point in this direction, high enough without anything obscuring his vision and with tolerable wind resistance would be…’ _His photographic memory supplied an image of a map with all the tallest buildings matching his calculated description. 

Finding only one possible match, the elusive thief smirked vindictively and, using his grappling hook, jumped to the top of the abandoned building, activating his glider before his feet barely touched the roof, his other hand flying over the dials on his phone.

* * *

Shinichi made it to the Haido Hotel with barely five minutes to spare. Paying the driver his fare, he quickly got out of the cab and stopped dead at the sight of five people stopping their own vehicles in front of the entrance. 

“Kudou-kun,” An authoritative voice greeted once they, too, got out and lined before him.

“Inspector Megure,” He greeted, looking at the other detectives he’s become very familiar with during his time as Conan, “What are you all doing here?”

“We got a call from an anonymous informant who flies a glider in his spare time,” Here Shinichi sweat dropped at Sato’s choice of words, “That you’re about to do something stupid,” Her tone was something of a mixture between harshness and… disappointment?

“That’s not-”

“Kudou-kun!” Megure bellowed loudly, anger apparent in his voice, “Why didn’t you come to us for help?! You’ve done us many favors on numerous occasions, so why would you think we wouldn’t return them?”

Oh, so that’s why they all looked so dejected. They thought he hadn't trusted them, hadn’t found them worthy in his life.

“I don’t- I cherish you. You’re very dear to me. _All of you_. That’s why I don’t want to put you in a situation that could potentially harm you,” Shinichi admitted honestly, because those people deserved to know the truth of what drove his actions and decisions.

“And you think we don’t want the same for you, too?” It’s Takagi who broke the awkward silence, and for the first time since finding out about Gin’s hunt for him, Shinichi was forced to confront the truth that yes, he’s as much precious to others as they are to him. Funnily, the discovery filled him with warmth and fueled him with purpose. 

“I just - I mean - I’m not -”

“Kudou-kun, we may not know the circumstances, but please do allow us to assist you in any way you find it fitting,” Shiratori supplied quietly, unable to watch the confident young man turn into a stuttering mess in front of them.

“Fine,” Shinichi answered after a moment of silence, “In that case, can I please trust you to make sure everyone in the hotel are safe? The man I’m about to meet is a rather peculiar and highly unpredictable individual,”

As if on cue, all of them saluted him in unison, smiling widely.

“Leave it to us!”

* * *

Kaito cursed for the up-tenth time since the last five minutes. As soon as he tried to fly with his glider, the stupid invention turned out to be slightly bent, which made it unable for him to properly guide it and he was forced to land barely three streets away from his starting point. Letting out another choice word as his eyes gazed at the clock - five minutes after midnight - the magician quickened his pace even more, for once thankful for the liquid _fury_ pumping in his veins and propelling him forward. He hoped the police made it in time to either stop or help the idiot detective of his. Small comforts, Kaito would take them any day, especially now.

Just when he thought they were finally getting somewhere, just when they ki- ki - he tried not to think about it for the sake of his cheeks - yielded to their desires, the stupid Shinichi went and knocked him unconscious. 

With a bloody dart!

The nerves of his!

Seriously, Kaito swore to pay back that favor in double. No one darted him and lived to tell about it. Nothing could break the great Kaitou KID, especially not a snark-

His inner rambling stopped the moment his eyes landed on the tall structure of the hotel.

And the inferno that was unfolding inside it. 

Suddenly, there was no Phantom Thief. There was no magician extraordinaire.

There was just a nine year old boy, looking ahead with a blank stare, his eyes overflowing with salty droplets of shock, pain and sorrow.

The flashbacks came, of a supposedly exciting evening, of a buzzing audience, high strung tension and anticipation. The laughter and curious murmurs.

Of the explosion and screams and tears and fire fire_ fire _.

Of Kuroba Toichi being burned alive right in front of his eyes.

A pitiful whimper slipped past his tightly pressed lips as Kaito found himself kneeling on the ground with a head between his knees, trying to block the haunting images from invading. The remembered screams and scent of burned flesh invoking the deeply buried fear sealed within him. He knew he needed to move forward, because Shinichi… Shinichi was_ there_. In that building. He needed to help him, protect him.

He couldn’t lose another person.

Not like his dad. Shinichi was the last person he’d allow to be taken from him. And especially not in that manner.

He knew all that, and yet! His legs refused to move, paralyzed in fright.

“Help me, Old Man. Give me strength,” Kaito murmured weakly, for once wishing to be in the secret room, seated in front of the old jukebox, listening to his father’s words of wisdom.

_ “Always remember, Kaito,” _ the calming voice drifted across the sea of terror currently plaguing his thoughts, _ “ _ _ Courage is feeling fear, not getting rid of fear, and taking action in the face of fear itself,” _

_ “Can a man be brave if he’s afraid?” The little boy asked, squirming on his dad’s lap, trying to magick a rose. _

_ “That is the only time a man can be brave,” _

Repeating the words over and over for a good while, the magician let his breathing calm and adjust, forcing the horrid images out of his mind.

Even though his expression was still grim and haunted, Kaito finally took a tentative step forward, followed by another, and another, until he was running at full speed once more. 

* * *

With a hand on the knob, Shinichi took a deep, steadying breath, and opened the door. Immediately, his eyes were hit by a gust of cold wind howling undisturbed, but before his lids closed, the detective managed to caught a glimpse of a silhouette standing still in the middle of the roof. 

“Next time make an appointment if you wish to speak to me,” Shinichi’s hard voice called, taking slow, measured steps toward the other, “Don’t go threatening people close to me,” 

Green eyes regarded him sideways, a slow, predatory smirk spreading on the blonde’s face.

“So it’s acceptable if it’s strangers?”

And before Shinichi could so much as blink, the building trembled with the force of an explosion, sending him tumbling down on his backside.

“What?” The detective breathed, eyes wide and shocked. Quickly getting to his feet, he moved to the railing and looked down, only to witness the clouds of black smoke climbing the glass walls of the building.

“What the hell did you do that for?!” Shinichi seethed through his gritted teeth, trying not to think of the potential casualties created because of him.

“Don’t make me repeat myself,” Gin drawled out, his expression calm, on the verge of bored.

“Why are you so hell bent on getting to me? Is it because I destroyed your organization?” Shinichi asked, trying vehemently to ignore another - only this time smaller - explosion down below them.

“It’s nothing as grand as this,” Gin smirked, twirling his gun on the middle finger, “I always make sure to _return the favor_,”

“So you've decided to hurt innocent people who have nothing to do with this?” Shinichi snarled, outraged by the other’s attitude.

“In the grand scheme of things, everyone’s involved, one way or the other,” Calmly, as if talking about the weather, Gin pulled out a pack of cigarettes and lit up one, taking a long drag.

Shinichi tried to keep a level head - which was a miraculous feat in and of itself - not yielding to Gin’s provocations. His eyes kept on scanning the roof of the hotel, as well as the adjacent buildings, trying to figure out the man’s escape route. After all, unless there was a helicopter with his allies nearby, the man cut of their only escape route by himself.

Only…

There was nothing.

“You…” Azure orbs widened in realization, “You’re not planning on getting out of here, are you?”

The shit eating grin, partially covered by exhaled smoke was his answer.

Shinichi had to swallow, this new piece of information providing a very unfortunate fact. If there was no rescue, there was nothing to lose.

Gin came here prepared to die. Resolved to drag Shinichi with him to the netherworld.

There was no amount of small tricks that could work. 

The assassin before him had nothing to lose.

Shinichi had everything and even more that could easily slip through his fingers.

He needed to find a leverage, and fast.

Silently, he cursed himself for changing out of the KID’s costume. With a hang glider on his back, he could easily escape from the roof, damaged or not. 

_ ‘His advantage - my injury. My only advantage - his rage,’ _Shinichi thought, observing every minuscule movement of the other, calculating every possible outcome of this situation that ended with him not being licked alive by the burning inferno quickly spreading upward, toward their location. Moving to the center of the roof was a risky maneuver, the closer to the door, the hotter the air, making it harder to breath and keep his eyes open, thus slower to counter any action from Gin. Staying in place was like asking for being shot, the exposure of vulnerability too great and tempting for the rabid dog baring his fangs at him. That left - and he couldn’t believe for thinking it - running away.

Not in fear. In self-preservation. 

Time the moment of the jump, the air movement, the angle of the hand holding the gun, the point of impact and… shoot. Immobilizing his attacker at the last second, preventing him from escaping by injuring one - preferably both - of his legs.

“You really think you’re the only one who can play this game?” Gin’s voice purred, breaking the detective’s concentration. 

In his mind, he’s putting two bullets in Kudo’s knees, and additional two in his shoulders, rendering all his limbs immobile. Then he’s dragging the sleuth to the rooftop door to warm him up with some blazing fire. Good thing he came prepared with a heat resistant coat. And lastly, as the police cars below gather, he’d grab the other’s throat, crush his windpipe and then drop the barely conscious, burned body fifty floor below, letting it become a bloody mess on the pavement.

It took all of three seconds for Shinichi to comprehend his - in Gin’s eyes - inevitable doom. There’s no way for him to counter the bullets, he’s not as agile as Ran and her karate instincts, and the bulletproof vest covered barely his torso, leaving all the bodily parts the other’s aiming for deliciously exposed. 

The conclusion was inevitable. 

His demise at the hand of someone who wanted revenge for the sole reason of simply wanting one, to ease his battered ego. 

Unless…

He’d participate in one last gamble with death.

And should it end in failure, at least there’d be one less morbid criminal mastermind walking on the planet Earth. So long as the people closest to him, his friends, parents, colleagues and of course Kaito were safe, Shinichi cared not a jot about his own safety. 

Sacrifice one for the sake of dozens.

Pay the price for the greater good. 

“Your silence will not protect you,” Gin’s brow quirked as he spit the half burned cigarette bud to the ground, the barrel of the gun aimed at the other’s left knee. 

Vaguely, Shinichi recalled a line from one of his father’s novels, a moment when the protagonist is about to face the villain.

_“The best way to deal with fear is to confront it,”_ were the words spoken by the hero’s love interest, encouraging the man to do his very best.

So, Shinichi’s going to do his, as well. Moving quickly, he pressed himself chest to chest with Gin, pleased at the momentary lapse of the other’s raged expression. Gin, on his part, bounced back with vengeance, hissing out a growl laced with fury as he pressed the trigger blindly, until the chamber smoked out in its emptiness.

Shinichi swallowed back the cries of pain, forcing them to clamp shut in his throat as he grabbed Gin’s shoulders and forcefully guided the both of them to the edge of the roof. The other struggled relentlessly, hitting Shinichi’s injuries with the hilt of the gun, but to no avail. Whilst his ammo ran out, the detective’s adrenaline fueled body knew no pain in this moment, only the heedy rush of doing something irresponsible, supplied by the voice of Ran lecturing him about the value of life and how one should cherish each day and be more cautious of his health.

He lost a lot more blood than he initially thought.

“What are you doing? Let me go!” Gin shouted, just as the door to the roof caved and exploded, unleashing the wave of pure heat, followed by the golden and ruby flames licking at the entrance. 

“Let’s shake hands in hell, Gin,” Shinichi smirked and pushed at the blonde’s side with both hands, forcing him off balance and over the edge.

The relieve that flooded his senses as he saw the man’s expression crumble lasted only a second, for Gin - with the last bit of distance between them - grabbed at the sleeve of his jacket and pulled him along.

“Why not go there together?” His mocking voice called, and the detective tumbled forward and over, managing at the last minute to grab the thin pipe with his right arm, trying to ignore how his whole body screamed in protest at the strain of gravity and the additional weight.

“You make for a very bland company,” Shinichi gritted through his teeth, the pain like liquid, dripping down his body.

“Heh. Who would’ve thought that my doing will be my own undoing,” Gin chuckled, at first lightly, before the sound morphed into a full blown maniac laughter.

Shinichi tried to look down, perplexed and confused at the other’s statement, before a flash of recognition shone in his eyes.

It wasn’t the pain that was sliding down his body, it was his very own blood, dripping down and soaking the sleeve of his suit jacket. 

“Wait! Grab my leg!” 

Gin’s eyes blinked slowly, as if not understanding the other’s words. He could feel his grip slipping, he only had a couple of seconds at most.

“Who’d listen to you, brat?” And with a feral smirk, he let his fingers loose, letting the chilly night’s air welcome him in its embrace.

“Fuck. _Fuck!_” Shinichi cursed verbally, whilst his body rejoiced at the loss of the weight. He knew he needed to get out of there, but really, in his current position, it was either follow in Gin’s footsteps down, or climb up and pray for a miracle.

Sadly, the latter rarely - if ever - happened to him.

Still, Shinichi was quite a gambler when the times called for it, ergo why he’s trying his damn hardest to let his left hand join the right one and pull himself up. 

Stupid evil organization members and their desires to evaporate every last bit of evidence and people involved with them, was what the detective kept on grumbling under his nose as he slowly, but surely ascended the building, until finally his waist was flat on the roof surface.

He allowed himself the luxury of gulping down the few lungfuls of hot air, both to distract himself from the pain that now became his whole body, as well as the panic that crept up his heart.

What should he do _ now _? 

There was literally no way out - beside the obvious - seeing as the five consecutive floors below him were turned into a sea of flames. And with the temperature, there’s no way any helicopter would be able to fly low enough to drop a ladder and pick him up, the updraft was far too strong for that. 

“Heh, Ran and Kaito are going to be so mad,” Shinichi chuckled, his words slurred as he slowly tried to stand up, only to wobble - barely able to keep himself upright. 

He knew, going into this, that something was bound to go wrong, because when has anything in his life gone according to plan? The balls of his feet left the comforts of the flat surface as he staggered once more, briefly wondering what kind of deity he managed to piss off in his life to earn himself such poor luck.

And just as he mused about the lack of Kaito’s number in his phone - he really was hopeless when it came to those matters, wasn’t he? - it happened slowly, gently. There was only the transgression from the blinding hotness of the sun to the dark veil of the chilly night and its hugging wind as his body finally succumbed and tipped over, a small smile playing on his lips as a mischievous, blurred face appeared in his vision.

**…**

Wait a minute.

“Kaito?” Shinichi asked in disbelief, only now realizing that instead of being pulled to the ground his body was kept afloat, caged in a pair of arms holding his back and under his knees.

Maybe he was dreaming it all up and was actually still falling down? They said that your life flashed before your eyes when dying, so maybe that was it?

But no - a more rational part of his mind supplied - Kaito swallowed hard, his throat bobbing with the notion, yet no words were uttered.

The Phantom Thief landed them as gently as possible on the ground, two streets away from the hotel, and eased the detective away from his embrace - though his palms stayed flat on the other’s waist.

“Kaito? Are you mad at me _again_?” Shinichi asked airily, the blood loss evident by his very pale complexion and staggering body, enough to let him lose that rational part of himself.

Yet, the elusive entity remained silent, the brim of the hat casting shadow over his eyes, making it unable for Shinichi to read the other’s expression. Not that he’d be able to in his current condition, anyway.

Without warning, the detective was picked up bridal style once more, and the two of them moved to where Shinichi presumed an ambulance waited. After all, his wounds may have been on the shallow side of things, but there were quite a lot of them. Even he knew he needed immediate medical attention.

But why wasn’t Kaito saying anything? 

“Kudou-kun!” Takagi’s voice barely registered in his ears, and when he tried to turn his head in the man’s direction, his vision swam and black spots, one by one, ate it away, forcing his brain to shut down in the blissful, painless oblivion.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well, I hope you enjoyed the chapter and I apologize for the long wait! A little play on Reichenbach WB style because, well, Shinichi=Sherlock, so yeah. Also, my take on Kaito's hidden fears brought by his father's accident. I find the idea of it very unexplored (not as much as Kaito's lovely relationship with fish~)  
Anyway, lately I've been struggling with this idea of writing a story where Shinichi is Kaito's bodyguard or something (maybe a cliche AU where Kaito is the president's son? Oh, the potential drama/romance~) Idk, just Shin-chan using real gun is such an appealing thought in my head these days =^.^= If you guys know any good stories like that kindly drop me a message! Until next time!


	14. The Thief's Guardian

Kaito’s eyes snapped open, his breathing labored, chest heaving from the strain of taking those precious lungfuls of air. A pitiful whimper at the tip of his tongue.

Ever since he witnessed Shinichi on top of the burning hotel, staggering barely on his feet before inevitably falling to his supposed demise, Kaito had nightmares. The visions of ‘what if’ flashing the moment his lids closed. 

He knew Aoko, Akako as well as Hakuba were worried about him, but he couldn’t bring himself to care about their curious gazes right now. 

What if he forgot to bring his grappling hook to the heist? What if he never used it and failed to reach Shinichi in time? What if the flames burned - not singed - his cape and glider the moment he brushed next to them in his ascend to save the detective? What if his cowardly mind refused to stop displaying those haunting images and he stayed rooted in spot, helpless to do nothing, but watch how someone important to him once aga-

What if he _lost_ Shinichi?

This time, the sound slipped past his tightly pressed lips, alerting everyone present at the table.

“Kaito, if you’re not feeling well please go home to rest. You look like you’re about to fall over,” Aoko gently supplied, not brave enough to prod the sleuth for the cause of his distress, though she had a vague idea, from what she gathered during her talk with Saguru.

The magician just laughed, the notion sounding far too hollow, even to his own ears. Sleep was precisely the last thing on his mind. 

“It’s rude to laugh at a lady’s suggestion, Kuroba,” Hakuba said in his ever cool demeanor, taking a languid sip from his cup of Earl Gray. 

Akako, however, was not as subtle as the two of them.

“I'd thought once, actually, of taking your mind, if you asked. I'd thought I could help you fall asleep at night," She stated casually, ignoring the outraged and shocked expression on her companion’s faces. 

“That’s nice of you, Akako,” Kaito answered, his voice neutral and expression blank - poker face shifted into place after his little internal conflict of emotions and questions.

“Trauma is personal. It does not disappear if it is not validated. When it is ignored or invalidated the silent screams continue internally heard only by the one held captive. When someone enters the pain and hears the screams healing can begin,” The redhead continued, brushing off the warning look of the girl sitting next to her. 

“It may not be us, however much we’d like to help you with your problem. But there _is_ someone who’s already inside you, isn’t there?”

Kaito opened his mouth to say something. Shut it again. His face closed for a moment, his unreadable mask cracking in few places. He spoke softly, gently, as if anything louder than a whisper was forbidden.

“He’s in me as much as I’m in him. So why does it hurt so much when he’s pushing me away like I’m not needed in his life?”

_‘Like I’m a solved crime he can file away and forget about,’_ He finished in his head, refuting the slight burning at the edges of his vision.

“It may not be my place to speak on behalf of Kudou-kun, but as a fellow detective I can say this much,” Hakuba’s gaze flickered briefly towards Aoko, before returning to the magician and his curious eyes, “When it comes to protecting the people dear to me, I’d stop at nothing. Even if I were to push them away for their own safety,”

“Mouri-chan said something similar to me,” Kaito recalled with a small dose of fondness. Was she aware of Shinichi’s plans back then? She obviously knew about their feelings for each other - as well as his hidden identity, though they never breached that subject - and was also present during the staged heist.

Speaking of which, Shinichi rocked his outfit, to the last wrinkle of the white pants. Dang, that man looked good in_ anything_.

Kaito briefly wondered how the detective looked in nothing, but the lecherous thought was quickly brushed away by Aoko’s teasing voice.

“So, all things considered, isn’t there somewhere else you should be? I mean, it’s been a week since you last saw each other…”

“And there’s only so much of moping and pining Kuroba that we can stomach,” Hakuba finished with a smirk, irking the magician.

“Oh, is that so? Well, don’t let me be a bother to you all any longer,” The magician scoffed and strolled away from their table as he put his coat on on the way out.

Three pairs of eyes blinked when - with a sudden snapping sound - a chocolate cake appeared in the center of the table.

On it were written the words ‘Thank you’.

“Honestly, he expects us to eat all this? I’m going to get cavities,” Aoko complained, though no one could deny the smiles that adorned all their faces.

"Try diabetes,"

* * *

A week.

A whole week of not seeing nor hearing anything from his - well, technically, they weren’t anything, so the magician was a free man, but Shinichi liked to entertain the thought of the man being his.

Sadly, each and every one of them ended in a harsh rejection, brought forth by his own actions. After all, he pushed Kaito away, locked him out of his life - and plans - for a while, leaving him oblivious to the chaos around.

And all to protect him.

However, as a bitchy lady called Fate would have it, all the scheming and planning backfired in his face because someone - and the detective now knew it was the Phantom Lady - snitched to Kaito and told him at least part of the situation.

Which ended up with them kissing like mad and him darting the magician into unconsciousness. 

_‘His lips sure were soft,’ _A traitorous thought slipped out as his fingers brushed the soft flesh and Shinichi groaned at the reminder of how his whole body thrummed with pleasure and fulfillment at the action.

“Do I need to move the condoms to your bedside drawer now?” Haibara’s voice distracted him from his <strike>fantas</strike> \- musings, and he tore his eyes away from the book currently resting in his lap and regarded the intruder.

“More prodding with needles?” He sighed at the equipment bag he saw in her grip, already rolling up the sleeve of his shirt.

“If you weren’t so keen on becoming Gin’s target practice, traumatizing your body to its limits, I wouldn’t need to prod you for any side effects of the cure,” The scientist snapped, pulling out the necessary utensils.

“How is it looking up, anyway?” Shinichi turned his gaze away the moment a needle pierced his skin, never being a fan of having objects inserted into him. Yes, the irony was not lost.

“Other than a small infection that I had to cure in your burn, nothing significant so far,” At the mention of said injury, Shinichi gently placed the pads of his fingers on the bandage around his neck. 

“That’s good,” He murmured, his muscles relaxing when Haibara finished with her proceedings. 

“So, when are you going to stop behaving like a school girl and call him?”

“I don’t have-”

“I know for a fact that Ran-san has the blonde detective’s number. And that look alike girl. If you just asked, I’m sure you could easily get his number,” Haibara crossed her arms, fingers thrumming.

“I pushed him away and did something terrible when I absolutely shouldn’t. I doubt he’d want to see my face for a while. If ever,” Shinichi rolled the sleeve back down and shifted in his armchair uncomfortably.

“Detective Satou told me that he was the one who caught you. Using a broken and singed glider that could potentially crash the both of you to the side of the building, or worse,” Shinichi nodded, he remembered that part, albeit blearily.

“Takagi told me that he refused to let you go right until you were safely secured in the hospital bed with half the doctors residing there looming over you and doing everything in their power to keep you alive. All the while shaking like he saw a ghost,”

_“Oh,”_ That, he was not aware of. But why would Kaito react like that? Those type of situations were nothing new to the thief, he himself took part in his fair share of them.

“I’d say that qualifies as still interested. So get your act together and finally make him yours,” Haibara smirked as she opened the door to leave, but abruptly stopped, an evil glint present in her eyes, “I plan to win a department-wide bet about when you do the_ deed_,” And with that casual comment she left, leaving a blushing, spluttering mess of a great detective behind.

“W-what do you mean a bet? And department-wid- Oi - _Haibara_?!”

* * *

Kaito stood outside the, now familiar, white house, currently deeply invested in an internal debate with himself.

About what, you may ask?

Well, it’s something simple, really.

Should he sneak into Shinichi’s bedroom like the thief he was? Or should he ring the doorbell and walk straight through the front door like a guy visiting his love interest?

Sneaking in could prove to be more fun and engaging, yet walking in like a normal person was a bit more expected, considering the circumstances.

Gods, he really was screwed, wasn’t he?

Said door clicked, cracked and opened, revealing - to his utter horror - a head of salmon hair.

“I suggest coming inside before you catch a pneumonia and give Shiho even more unnecessary work,” Subaru drawled lazily, his glasses glinting mysteriously.

“I- uh,” Kaito’s tongue got tied, trying to catch up with the brain, which in turn tried to quickly comprehend the situation.

“Kuroba Kaito,” The man’s voice was quiet, but there was just something there that kicked the magician’s fleeing instincts into overdrive, “I’m not the father of the boy. There’s no need to be so uptight with me,”

Nodding far too much for his head’s liking, the sleuth bowed and slowly, carefully, walked past the threshold, stopping only when he felt a hand on his arm.

“His parents are _ten times worse_,” Subaru supplied with a chuckle that turned to quiet laugh when he watched as the young man jumped and practically dashed upstairs.

“And they call me a little devil,” Haibara’s amused voice floated from the kitchen.

Green irises visible, Akai Shuichi made his way to her and sat down, placing her on his lap in the process.

“It takes one to know one,” He answered, stealing a sip of coffee from her cup.

  
  


* * *

  
  


When Kaito opened the familiar door to an even more familiar room, his breath stopped short at the picture painted inside it.

Shinichi stood with his back to him, facing the window with one hand pressed palm flat against the glass surface. His azure eyes reflected the white globe hanging high up in the sky, yet his gaze was so full of longing and fondness it took all of Kaito not to run to the detective and bundle him up in a comforting hug.

All this time apart, he realized, he never once thought of how Shinichi must've felt about it. 

“There are wounds that never show on the body that are deeper and more hurtful than anything that bleeds,” The quiet voice whispered, and only now Kaito noticed that those - usually piercing - orbs were dulled whilst looking at him. 

Ah, he really fucked this one up, huh?

“I’m sorry,” Kaito blurted, quickly closing the gap between them, stopping in front of the other.

“What for?” Shinichi blinked, not expecting the apologies, “If anything I should be the one to-”

“You were trying to protect me. I know it now, but before, when you just disappeared, I- For a moment, I thought of hating you,” His brows furrowed, and the detective could plainly see the self-loathing on the other’s face.

“That you were just playing with me. All those confessions and feelings, that it was just a game to you,”

“Kaito, I’d never -”

“I know that _now_,” The magician interrupted him again. He needed to pour out everything inside him now, while he still had the courage, “Turns out Haku-bastard and Mouri-chan are the voices of reason the both of us need more than we thought,”

“Yeah, they are,” Shinichi smiled, but the expression quickly vanished when he noticed how his companion was trembling. Tentatively, he reached for Kaito’s hand and was relieved when the magician squeezed it in his own.

“So when I learned that you staged a heist to catch Snake, and that you went to confront that drink bastard all on your own, I-” Kaito stopped and swallowed loudly. Suddenly his throat felt too tight to speak, words were being pushed back by the recurring flashes of ‘what ifs’, of Shinichi’s bloodied body on the pavement. Of him being burned to crisp, just like his - 

“Kaito?” The detective whispered, watching in concern how the other tumbled right into what appeared to be a panic attack. He put a tentative, bandaged hand on the magician’s cheek, brushing his thumb across the reddened skin in a soothing manner.

  
  


“Have you ever lost someone you love and wanted one more conversation, one more chance to make up for the time when you thought they would be here forever?” Kaito suddenly asked, dropping all pretense of being fine when he was far from it. Unconsciously, his body leaned into the touch and into the man standing still in front of him. He needed it, the reminder that Shinichi was here, was fine, bit bruised and burned but breathing and _alive_.

“Kaito, what are you-”

“No one ever told me how sorrow will traumatize my heart, making me think it will never beat exactly the same way again. No one ever told me how grief feels like a wet sock in my mouth,” Kaito continued, now openly leaning against Shinichi, with his head on the other’s shoulder, breathing ragged and shaky.

“When I saw you on top of that burning building, it was like watching my old man die all over again. The screams, the flames. Oh gods, the _flames_, Shinichi. And you were there, too! And I couldn’t - I couldn’t -,” His voice broke into a quiet sob, barely registering a hand gently brushing up and down his back.

“Shh, it’s alright. We’re fine now. It’s all over,” Shinichi murmured, trying to calm the other down. Yet, something in Kaito snapped at those words.

“But you weren’t! You could be dead. Burned alive or splattered on the ground. Dead!” The magician groaned in annoyance and pried himself away from the warm body, moving past him to stop in front of the window. Why couldn’t Shinichi see things his way for once?

“It is useless for me to describe to you how terrible I felt at that time. I wanted to help you, but my body just couldn’t move. And those images of Dad and you and -” He paused, forcing another lapse of panic down, “If you have ever lost someone very important to you, then you already know how it feels, and if you haven't, you cannot possibly imagine it,”

No, Shinichi admitted, he couldn’t relate to that. After all, all of his friends and both of his parents were still alive. The closest he got to that, was when Gin staked claim on Kaito’s life and what followed was a downright spiral of emotions with the magician's safety in the center of his focus. He understood now. Kaito wasn’t phobic of the fire. He was traumatized of it the moment someone close to him was put in its path.

“No, Kaito. I can’t say that I do. But you didn’t tell me everything. You told yourself. Those things happened to you, not to someone else. They happened to Kaito. They happened to KID-” The detective murmured to himself, but in the still silence of the room Kaito heard it loud and clear. And huffed, hitting the glass panel with his bruised fist, flinching when the action registered in his neuro system.

“God dammit, Shinichi!” He shouted his interruption, his whole body trembling with suppressed emotions, “I nearly lost you!”

“They happened to the teenager that I met all those years ago,” Shinichi continued on, as if Kaito never cut him off, “And they happened to the young man I love who’s looking back at me right now,” He finished with a small smile and Kaito couldn’t take it anymore. His whole body crumpled to the floor, loud sobs wracking his already shaking frame, uncaring of how pathetic he must've looked in Shinichi’s eyes right now. How weak and small.

The detective thought nothing of it - after all he had his fair share of breaking down, as well - as he kneeled in front of the mess that was the magician and pulled him into a tight hug. Immediately, Kaito’s face pressed into the crook of his neck, inhaling the clean scent of purely Shinichi. No perfume, no ashes, just the essence of his detective. 

“Gods you smell nice,” He murmured distractedly, burying his nose even deeper, “I’ve missed that smell. I’ve missed everything about you, little detective,” His words were slurred, Shinichi noticed, probably because of all those emotions finally finding an outlet. Nevertheless, the prominent blush present on the detective’s face at the admission refused to fade. He was glad Kaito was so out of it to notice.

With quite a bit of struggle - his wounds were still aching - Shinichi somehow managed to pry the magician off himself, enough to relocate them to his bed. Haibara’s earlier words rang in his mind - turning the red on his cheeks to scarlet - but he knew that was not the time to think of such things. Kaito needed him, his mind needed rest and his body needed a physical proof that Shinichi was next to him, not as a corpse but as someone alive.

“You know, Kaito, grief does not change you. It reveals you,” The detective murmured, tucking the other under the covers before slipping in himself, “And right now, you’re truly beautiful,” He finished, dotting a loving kiss to the mop of wild hair.

Kaito mumbled something incoherent, though Shinichi managed to understand one word:_ stay_.

“I’m not going anywhere. I’ll watch over you and be here when you wake up. So sleep, rest,”

The magician’s eyes fluttered, revealing indigo framed by the redness.

“But… who’s going to... watch over you when... I sleep?”

Wordlessly, Shinichi brushed the last of Kaito’s tears away and laid down, feeling something flutter in his stomach when the magician nestled his head on his chest, right where his heart was. 

He’d lie when asked if their position aggravated his wounds, but for the life of him - after looking at the peaceful expression on Kaito’s face - he couldn’t care less about it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, uh, yeah. Fluffy angst, anyone? Right now I just want to snuggle the living daylights out of Kaito (〃￣ω￣〃ゞ Also, worry not, Shinichi's fair share of angst will be coming up soon, so! Can't let them get together that easily, psh. Also, tried to lighten up the mood with a little humor here and there. Hope it worked (･ω･)v


	15. Domestic

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Mentions of Movie 23, spoiler-free, all is included in the trailer. As usual, KID was not aware of Conan being Shinichi back then.

It was a rather peaceful and beautiful morning, the birds chirping happily, the winter sun trying to sneak its way inside and on the faces of two occupants of the room.

One could write a poem about it, truly-

Only, if one were not a certain Kudou Shinichi and Kuroba Kaito.

When the detective woke, it was a slow rouse to consciousness. At first, his mind struggled, wanting nothing more than to snuggle into the warmth he was wrapped around, soft and pleasing to his senses. But when said heat source moved in a rhythmic rise and fall, Shinichi’s eyes snapped open and his whole body froze.

Right.

His arms were wrapped around Kaito’s waist and his face was pressed to the man’s chest. Somehow, their positions prior to falling asleep, switched.

_ Awkward. _

Because he knew, he could feel it in the quickening of the other’s heart beat, that Kaito was awake.

And that the magician was fully aware of his state of wakefulness, also.

Kaito, on his part, woke abruptly when he felt a tensing sensation along the line of his body. Luckily his trained over the years reflexes stopped him from jumping up and squirming out of the bed, when the memories of last night slammed into him with a vengeance.

Okay, so maybe blurting out lines such as ‘you smell so good’ were not his quota of the meeting, but he just couldn’t help himself, okay? His mind left the planes of his body and ventured somewhere he’d rather not analyze right about now, considering the circumstances and his current position.

Thus he lay there, stiff as a board - and not in that pleasurable, insinuating way - with a blush hot enough to easily burn scrambled eggs. It was like Singapore all over, when Mouri-chan was coming onto him strongly, dressed in nothing more than a bathing suit.

At the thought of food his stomach growled in a reminder that it hadn’t received food in over… what time was it, exactly?

“It’s quarter to twelve,” Shinichi murmured, moving up the bed and away from the other, trying to ignore the pang of longing already forming in his chest at the lack of contact.

Kaito quickly buried his face in the pillow and groaned - both in answer and to quickly dismiss anything potentially harmful to the carefully crafted poker face he slipped in place.

“Are you… alright now?” The detective asked slowly, carefully, as if Kaito was a wounded animal ready to lash out at any moment. And, well, the whole awkwardness of the situation was not helping, either.

The magician hummed in thought, actually considering his answer. Was he better?

He obviously felt lighter than in a week, that was obvious. Having Shinichi looking at him worriedly helped, too. A selfish thought, but Kaito liked himself to a compulsively possessive individual who needed the attention. Especially from his favorite critique. 

But, above all those silly reasons, there were no images of fire haunting his dreams, only peace and tranquility.

He really ought to convey his thanks to Shinichi for pulling him out of that tight spot, huh?

Thus, wordlessly, he shifted closer and put his head on the detective’s shoulder.

“Wh-what are you doing?’ Shinichi squealed, shoving Kaito away from him with wide eyes.

“I was giving you a thank you hug!” The magician said defensively.

“Y-you-!”

“Psh. Do you really think I’d do that? I’m trying to keep warm, idiot. You’re generating heat and it’s bloody freezing in this room,”

Well, slipping back into the familiar banter also wasn’t so bad, no? At least the stiff atmosphere was gone. And, really, he _ was _ cold. For Shinichi’s warmth.

“I’m a human, not a heater,” The detective snapped back, slightly offended.

“Tomato, _tometo_,” Kaito slid closer, but the other pushed him away.

“You shouldn’t be doing that!” Shinichi finally said, his face slightly colored.

“What’s the problem? You said you love me, right? Well, I’m cold, so why don’t you calm down and give me some of that sweet, sweet warmth?”

“Don’t touch me!”

Kaito nearly purred at the troubled, embarrassed expression on his detective’s face. Who knew he had it in him to be such a tease, huh?

“I’m starting to think you’re self-conscious in this form. You let me cuddle you in your other-”

“_We did not cuddle_,” Shinichi bit back with a quiet growl. 

Kaito grinned widely.

“Would you prefer I use a different word? Snuggle, maybe?”

“You’re insufferable,” The detective finally managed, throwing the covers off himself and getting out of bed to the bathroom to freshen up.

“And you love me, either way~” Kaito sing song after him, chuckling at the way Shinichi’s steps faltered just as he reached the door.

* * *

Okay, so maybe pissing Shinichi off so early in the day - despite it being almost noon - wasn’t the best idea. Especially when the other was caffeine-free.

So it was no wonder that, after the both of them took their respective showers, re-dressed - yes, Shinichi’s clothes fit Kaito like a glove - and moved downstairs to the kitchen, the magician was ditched two minutes later.

The reason?

Apparently, Shinichi _ran out of coffee_. 

_'Like, what the hell, Tantei-kun?'_ Kaito thought, listening in on any sound coming from within the house. The little malice - also known as Mad Scientist - he could handle. But the pink haired - for he refused to call it the f-f-finny thing’s name - malice, he wasn’t so sure.

Still, sitting so uselessly at the table was also not one of his strong points. Thus he decided to at least put the electric kettle on, so that when Shinichi came back, the water would be hot and ready to pour. 

  
  


However, he omitted a very important fact.

That there was not one, not even two, but_ three caffeine addicts_ living in the house.

Thus, not a minute later, after he pressed the button, two bodies - for he refused to acknowledge them as people, considering the state of them - crawled into the kitchen in a frankenstein-like manner. 

Kaito’s heart nearly leaped out of his throat when the little girl sat on his left side, whilst the man he never met before sat at the face of the table.

Their eyes were hooded over, as if in a trance, and they seemed to be oblivious to the magician’s presence - as if waiting for something - for which Kaito was truly grateful.

Luckily, Shinichi - his knight in blue! - arrived just minutes later, two shopping bags in each hand. 

He looked to the two dead bodies at the table.

To the kettle.

And finally his gaze landed on Kaito, who seemed to be practicing rigor mortis.

It took him eight seconds to comprehend the situation.

“Morning,” He said casually, placing the bags on the counter and unpacking them.

“G-gdmor-” Kaito also tried, but he was a mess. He couldn’t form a two word greeting without losing his shit.

Shinichi snorted and pulled out two coffee cups, one mug and a black can he just purchased in a local convenience store.

Kaito shrieked when - the moment the kettle popped its readiness - two bodies next to him snapped to attention and as the hot water was poured inside the two cups, the man and a girl slowly rose from their seats, hands outstretched comically in front of them, trying to reach for their dose of addiction.

_ “What are you, zombies?!” _The magician couldn’t help but call them out on their behavior. 

All it earned him were three sets of very irritated gazes, judging him.

Turned out, there’s a morning - or whenever they woke up - ritual in the Kudou household.

The first to wake was responsible for preparing two cups of coffee for the rest, excluding the man in black, he drank energy drinks or canned coffee. It varied on his mood.

After the first initial cup, the rest either waited at the table or helped in preparing the breakfast, depending on what they were cooking. 

Somehow, it failed to surprise Kaito that Shinichi liked Japanese cuisine, especially sushi. They just couldn’t get along, could they?

Thus he was left waiting for the inevitable creature of the sea to appear on the plate presented to him, forcing him to fidget in his seat nervously.

“Oh, right,” Shinichi’s voice called suddenly, as if realizing something, “You guys never met officially, right?”

“Now that you mention it, that’s true,” The deep baritone answered, and the poor magician shuddered at the familiarity of it.

“This is Haibara Ai, also known as Miyano Shiho,” The detective pointed at the brownish-red mop of hair. The girl nodded.

“This is Kuroba Kaito, most commonly known by masses as the Phantom Thief, Kaitou KID,” Kaito also bowed, albeit a bit stiffly, oblivious to the smirk on the detective’s face.

“And this is Akai Shuichi, an FBI agent known by most here in Japan as Okiya Subaru,”

“What?! You’re that fi-fi-pink haired dude?!” The remark was out of Kaito’s mouth before he could swallow it.

“It’s a wonder how a disguise can change a man, no?” Akai answered with humor, taking a sip from his second can.

“Yeah, right,” Kaito snorted, crossing his arms over his chest, “I know for a fact that police does a crap job at disguising and covert operations. Yours is the work of someone from my field,”

The green met azure and both men smirked.

“Boy didn’t tell you? His mother was the one to prepare it for me. Learned it from a top magician, if I recall correctly,” 

“Yeah. I remember how she came back from one of their meetings fuming about an _ungrateful boy_ who gave her a rose and called her an old lady,” Shinichi’s gaze leveled on Kaito’s indigo, waiting for the moment of realization on the other’s face.

“Wh…” Kaito stopped and swallowed, feeling both shocked and pleased at the revelation. No wonder Tantei-kun saw through his disguises so easily, if his father was the one to mentor the detective’s mother.

“I was what, six? She was big and old for me, what else was I supposed to say?” 

Akai laughed loudly and Shinichi looked at the magician with mirth-filled eyes.

“Hey, grandpa, pass me the newspaper, would you?” Haibara’s voice broke in, hand outstretched in Kaito’s direction.

“Brat,” The magician spat, eyebrow twitching, but he complied with the request nonetheless.

“Don’t bother. You’re too old for me, you lolicon,” She answered gracefully and flipped the first page, ignoring the frothing at the mouth sleuth next to her. 

“Actually,” Shinichi interjected - for Kaito’s sake only, “Your Dad was my brother. Well, my younger brother,”

“We’re related?!” The magician asked, horrified at the prospect. 

“Barou, of course we’re not. You never heard how the name KID came to be?”

Kaito shook his head, so Shinichi - hunched over the stove - launched an explanation of how it was Yuusaku, his father, who saw the numbers and read them as such. And seeing the excitement flooding the indigo, he also mentioned his little adventure with the original thief, back when he was little. 

And Kaito drank it all like a cup of freshly made hot chocolate. Let it all sink into him, added it to the collection of the memories of his old man. After all, however much he wanted to talk about it with his mother, he knew that it’d hurt her too much. But this, this was nice. Comforting.

“All done,” The detective muttered and placed the cups containing the second dose of blackness next to Haibara’s and his seat - which was on Kaito’s right. Next he put the smaller bowls filled with variety of different flavored jams and even one filled with nutella - this one found its place closest to Kaito’s seat, somehow. Finally, he put the huge plate filled with what looked like a tower made of pancakes.

“So that’s why you went out to the store? And without drinking coffee? Trying to impress _someone_, perhaps?” Haibara smirked, her eyes not so subtly shifting between the look a likes.

“Shut up, _Shiho_,” Shinichi grumbled, though the blush on his cheeks was most certainly not from the stove’s heat. 

Kaito blinked. And blinked again.

Surely, this must be a dream. He knew for a fact that Shinichi liked his native food, but this… what was this?

“And that’s your daily addiction,” The detective said quietly, feeling bashful as he put the mug filled with hot chocolate in front of the magician.

“Huuuh, since when do we have something _sweet_ in our kitchen?” Haibara’s teasing voice carried across the table, intensifying the color on a certain someone’s cheeks, but Kaito heard nothing of it.

His head was filled with what was presented to him, but most of all by the person who prepared it. For him.

Honestly, he felt ready to cry, because stupid as it might sound, that gesture just got to him. Tugged at his slightly rusted heartstrings. Sure, Aoko made him meals plenty of times, but those were simple extra portions she prepared for the already planned dinners. 

Shinichi went out of the house to buy ingredients specifically to prepare a breakfast_ for him._

So it’s no wonder to the magician that, the moment the detective sat down in his chair, Kaito reached, grabbed the collar of his shirt and his mouth captured the other’s, trying to show him with this kiss what he was still learning to express in words. He loved him. He'd walk across thinnest of ropes for him. He—

—still had the audience of his two housemates.

Slowly breaking the kiss, Kaito turned his face to the side. Haibara and Akai were still sitting at the table. The latter was pretending to read the newspaper he snatched from the younger girl and Shiho was staring quite shamelessly with a shit eating smirk.

“Unfortunately, I am incapable of thinking up perfectly biting, split-second retorts, in any language,” Akai drawled with a grin, biting into his first pancake.

Kaito simply cleared his throat and hurriedly filled his plate, quickly shoving it down. Awkwardness aside, he was starving and this was utter heaven in his mouth.

Not like he’s trying to replace even more delicious taste of Shinichi in his mouth, no, nope.

Speaking of the detective himself, after a minute or so, he unfroze and continued to - seemingly - calmly sip his hot drink, grabbing a slice of pancake when the little devil threw him a dirty glare.

“Ah, they’re going to pass that bill in court, after all,” Akai’s voice broke the sudden silence figuring the new addition to their table had enough of embarrassment for a day.

“Huh, wonder when I’ll be called to the body,” Shinichi hummed out in answer, sending a gratifying look to the elder man.

“A week and a half, I’d wager. Probably poisoning,” Haibara supplied casually, chewing on her bittersweet treat.

_ Tick. _

“Assassination by a sniper sounds more reasonable,” Akai countered.

_ Tick tick. _

“Too high-budget. I’d go with murder disguised as a suicide,”

_ Snap! _

_ “Are you lot a mafia organization?!” _ Once more, the brain-to-mouth connection failed one Kuroba Kaito, until he realized with horror what he said and swallowed, looking at the trio.

One was an FBI operator.

The other a scientist from a dark organization.

And finally someone who could plan a perfect crime with zero percent chance of ever finding the body.

“Never mind…”

* * *

The rest of the breakfast passed in a rather pleasant atmosphere. Haibara mostly kept to herself, only throwing snide, snippy remarks whenever she pleased, to embarrass either Kaito or Shinichi. The latter usually just shrugged or sighed, all the while trying not to look too bothered by it. 

Surprisingly, it was Akai who bonded with the magician rather quickly. After Kaito’s random outburst, they switched topics to guns and how they function. Here the thief couldn’t help, but show off his prized possession, allowing the black haired man to inspect it, explaining the gun’s functions and abilities.

In turn, Akai pointed out the flaws that could potentially cost him either time or the failure of his trick. The life behind bars should he get caught passed silently between them. 

Shinichi also mentioned how Makoto-san, KID supposed arch-nemesis - he had a lot of those, no? - inquired with Sonoko about the thief’s whereabouts.

Akai chuckled at the magician’s rather violent shudder and Haibara snickered, calling him out on cheating on the ‘poor, poor lovesick detective’.

“They say third time’s the charm, but I don’t want to push my luck. If not for Tantei-kun, I’d be dead in Singapore,” Kaito grumbled, nurturing the rest of his now cold drink, before something occurred to him and he nearly hit himself for not asking about it sooner.

“Say,” His gaze turned to the detective, “Whatever happened with that jewel you stole?”

“Oh, that,” Shinichi stood up and walked to the drawer, opening the second one from the top, ignoring the quiet sniggering from a certain someone small. Grabbing the item, he threw it at the magician, who caught it with ease.

“The Koh-I-Noor,” Kaito quickly recalled, the jewel itself being also on his list of potential Pandora candidates.

“It’s a replica,” Shinichi supplied quietly.

“Clearly,” The magician confirmed after a short inspection. In a fit of nostalgia, he raised it to the window and observed how the rays of sun concentrated in the middle of it, “Too bad, wish I could check if it’s Pandora or no,”

“Are you going to continue looking for it?” Akai asked, being already briefed in the circumstances surrounding all the thefts.

“My old man and many innocent people paid with their lives for this absurd myth. The least I can do is honor their memory by smashing it to pieces,” Kaito answered truthfully, rolling the fake between his expert fingers.

“You mean you don’t know?” Haibara asked, though her gaze was focused on Shinichi.

“Know what?” 

“We already located the real Pandora. I mean, it’s literally in-”

“Haibara,” The detective shut her up, his voice serious for the first time today.

“You know where it is? Tell me!” Kaito called frantically, once more grabbing for Shinichi’s shirt.

“Let me give you a riddle, O Magician Under the Moonlight. It involves a place where ravens always flock and never leave,” Shinichi smirked at the puzzled look in the other’s eyes.

“It also involves a trip I believe I owe you,” He added, recalling their previous reminiscing about Singapore.

“Hm,” Kaito’s lips stretched in that all too familiar KID-esque grin, "I believe you do, Tantei-kun,”

“You’ll need a bigger suitcase to fit him in,” The little devil supplied.

All in good nature, of course.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Waaaaaaaaaah domestic fluff! I did it! Finally did it! (≧▽≦) 
> 
> Also, a question for you guys? Do you know any websites with Kaishin writing prompts? Or just prompts in general? I feel like writing a couple of one-shots to work on my writing. 
> 
> Leaving that aside, do you know what jewel is Pandora and where it is being held? If yes, do tell, I'm curious to know if the hints I left were picked up by you. (〃ω〃)
> 
> Hope the humor in this chapter made you laugh, if at least a little. Until next time! (っ・ω・）っ≡≡≡≡≡≡☆


	16. Hidden

After having their fill of food and black fuel, Haibara ventured downstairs to her lab, whilst Shuichi got into his Chevrolet and drove off to the meeting with Jodie. Shinichi was secretly glad that the man finally decided to free himself from the self-imposed shackles by the name of Miyano Akemi and moved on to someone who constantly waited for him, despite all the odds against her.

At first the detective couldn’t really understand why women were like that regarding feelings and their loved ones. Why waste unknown amount of time for someone who may or may not keep their promise to come back to them? Ran was like that, too. No matter the silence and occasional conversations, she kept on waiting for him to return. And from the perspective of a -seemingly - third party, it was simply too painful to watch. Which was why he called and they had a very long conversation - involving a lot of shouting, pleas and tears - until both parties mutually agreed to stay like they were before, the best of friends. A brother and sister not bound by blood.

But now that he had a taste of that painfully bittersweet and melancholic feeling, he understood their actions, if a little. Just simply gazing at that face, all focused and screwed up with a frown and lightly bit bottom lip, brought him peace of mind and comfort of being near. And honestly, now that Shinichi thought about it, when exactly his feelings for the magician turned from curious irritation to silent admiration, bottomless trust with his own well being to unwelcome infatuation and consequently love? Was it when the thief jumped to his rescue when he purposefully fell from the roof during one of their squabbles? Or when he was thrown out of the blimp? No, back then he started to trust him with his own safety. When, instead of feeling annoyed, he felt slightly pleased that the magician once again disguised himself as Kudou Shinichi to infiltrate the sunflower gallery? Well, if anything, it tickled his ego quite a lot. So then, when? When his thoughts during the most perilous situations turned from wanting to hear Ran’s voice to the overwhelming need to see the silhouette clad in white? 

Truthfully, it was a mystery he wasn’t sure he could solve. Delving deep into his psyche was never one of his strong points. But above all that, did it really matter all that much when those feelings came to be? 

It didn’t.

But he was very glad they blossomed inside his heart.

“What the heck is _Baltimore Ravens_?” A quiet murmur brought the detective out of his internal musing, forcing a chuckle out of Shinichi’s mouth.

“You’re able to write a complicated heist notice, yet you’re struggling with such a simple riddle?”

“Sometimes a straight road is more complicated than a maze, Tantei-kun,” Kaito answered distractedly, furiously scrolling on the screen of his phone. Luckily for him, for otherwise he’d have witnessed a small frown on the detective’s face.

Shinichi was quite confused, to be honest. Don’t misunderstand, he was very glad to be with Kaito here as… exactly, _what_?

Were they just casual friends? Or perhaps something more?

He knew what he wanted them, their relationship, to be, but what about Kaito?

One moment he’s a teasing prick, the next he’s kissing the breath out of him and then it’s back to casual conversations with old nicknames involved. 

Shinichi was good at reading people, truly, he was one of the best, but as he’d said to Ran in London, he could never quite understand the heart of the person he nurtured feelings for. 

Especially since Kaito kept on sending him very mixed signals. 

“I’ve got it!” The magician called proudly, grinning up at the detective looming over him from the opposite side of the table, “Really, I should have known at the beginning. The ravens refer to the actual animals, not a code for members of some boorish crime syndicate or a sports team. When I realized that, I began searching for myth and folklore stories and there it is: Ravens of the Tower of London,”

Shinichi smirked at the confident expression on Kaito’s face, urging the other to continue with a nod.

“So I figured out the location, but what about the actual jewel itself? It can’t be anything petty, I mean they don’t keep just anything in there. So it must be something of importance. Something even _you_ are certain won’t be stolen just by anybody,” Here Kaito paused and with a wicked grin pulled out the small object from his pocket - one he received earlier during breakfast, “Something _royal_, perhaps?”

Instead of a verbal answer, Shinichi simply smiled gently, his eyes conveying the pride he felt for the other, and Kaito would lie when asked if the expression made his chest swell with a warm feeling. 

“So, when do we leave? And are you certain it’s Pandora?”

“I'm positive. Vermouth confirmed that at one point in time the Organization acquired the jewel for a short period of time, needing it for one of their experiments. As for when to leave, hm. I still have a few things to take care of, so if it’s all right with your schedule I was thinking at the beginning of February,” Shinichi paused and coughed awkwardly, “I actually already asked for a two weeks leave, so…”

Kaito paled slightly, shooting to his feet in record time and moving, stopping only when he was right in front of the detective.

“Don’t tell me you were planning on going there and getting the jewel by yourself?”

The question was met with silence.

“Tantei-kun!” Kaito growled, displeased at the mere thought of all kinds of trouble the other could - and undoubtedly would - get himself into. 

“What, _ KID _ ?” Shinichi bit back with slight venom, gripping the edge of the counter behind his back, “You told me to wait for you, but I’m no good with waiting idly. I- I wanted to finalize all loose threads on both our ends so that we could  _ move on _ with us. Clearly it was only me who thought that,”

“No, Shinic-”

“So, I’m _‘Shinichi’_ again, am I?” The detective cut off and Kaito let out a frustrated groan, rubbing at his face.

“No, listen, I -” The magician paused, his whole body radiating hesitation as he tried to push out the words out of his throat, “I really want - I mean I - “ 

His failed attempts were interrupted by a loud ringtone, tearing through the awkward atmosphere in the room. With a huff, Shinichi fished out his phone and slid to answer.

“Kudou. Yes, I understand. Where? I’ll be there as soon as I can,” 

“A case?” Kaito asked quietly, seemingly smaller than he normally was. 

“Supposed double suicide, but there is evidence pointing at murder,” Shinichi answered stiffly. Deep down he knew he was acting childish, but was it really too much for a guy he loved to call him by his name, without the use of nicknames?

“Do you need a lift to the town?” The detective supplied, already gathering his things and putting on his warm coat.

“No. I’ll be fine,” He wasn’t currently, but no need to add stretch to the already tightly strung thread. 

“Well then, I trust you know your way out,” Shinichi said and his steps faltered momentarily - as if wanting to add something - before he walked out of the house.

  
  


* * *

“... And that’s what happened,” Kaito finished with a sight, barely managing to put a fork decorated with an impressive piece of chocolate cake into his mouth. 

What? He needed comfort food.

“So, basically,” Aoko stated in her motherly voice set on a scolding mode, “You’re telling me your day couldn’t start any better than it did, and then you went and messed it all up and you don’t know why?”

“When you put it that way, it feels like I’m both bragging and complaining at the same time,” Kaito admitted bitterly.

“But, don’t you, really? Know why Kudou-kun’s mood did a turn over so suddenly?”

“If I did would I be sitting here all sour listening to your irritating voice?” Kaito bit back, pushing the plate with his sweet treat away. Suddenly he wasn’t all that hungry anymore.

“If you’re going to be angry at someone, be angry at yourself, not me. I’m only trying to help you!” Aoko shouted, her palms hitting the table.

“I am angry at myself! I’m furious because I hurt Shinichi even though I promised myself I won’t! And the worst part is, I don’t even know _how_!” Kaito retaliated just as loudly, but both his voice and expression quickly deflated at the pitying look he received from his best friend, “We’re supposed to go to London together in a little over two weeks. I just - I don’t want things to stay like they are now between us,” He finished weakly, his head now laying sideways on the table.

“And did you tell Kudou-kun all of that? Did you actually, _properly_ talk about your feeling with him?”

“Like I told you before. We got interrupted by a phone call-”

“That was just you being a stuttering mess,” Aoko cut in and countered his frown with her sharp look, “I mean earlier. At some point, did you discuss your _feelings_ with him? Told him how you feel and what you want and expect from him? Tell him you love him?”

“I don’t-”

“Kaito,” She took his hand gently and smiled sadly, in understanding, “I’ve known you practically my whole life, and half the time I don’t know what you think. What I do know, however, is that you love me with all of your being,”

“Of course I do,” The magician answered in a matter-of-fact voice.

“Yes, you do. But did you know? You never once told me that, actually. But it’s alright. Because I can see it in everything you do for me, so at this point words would just be a meaningless confirmation of something I’ve known for a very long time,”

“Is this going somewhere?” Kaito asked, blinking innocently.

“Kudou-kun doesn’t know you all that long,” The sleuth was about to correct her, but managed to bit his tongue in time, because that would be KID-telling, “First of all, he’s a detective. Yes, he can probably spot a needle in a haystack from few dozens meters away, but from what Ran-chan told me, when it comes to feelings - especially his own - he’s a useless mess,”

“You were talking with Mouri-chan?”

Aoko tsk’d, muttering something that sounded suspiciously like ‘that’s what you get from my grand speech?’.

“Someone needs to look out for you two idiots. Anyway, let me ask you a question. What does Kudou-kun call you?”

“Just Kaito,” He replied immediately.

“And how does it make you feel?”

“How? Well… it feels nice? Like something warm is spreading in my chest?” 

“And don’t you think Kudou-kun feels any differently when you call him by his name?”

Kaito’s eyes widened slowly in realization. So that was the reason Shinichi snapped at him earlier? Surely, by now, he must be aware of Kaito’s feeling towards him? For Houdini’s sake, they even slept in the same bed!

“And that’s it? Just because I called him by his nickname and not his name? I freaking _kissed him_. Twice! We shared a bed. He must know by now, no?”

Aoko whimpered in resignation, admitting her defeat before her best friend’s stupidity and ignorance. Truly, for someone with a self-proclaimed IQ of 400, he was as oblivious as a newborn.

“Knowing something, and hearing it straight from the mouth of the person they love - even if it’s just a stupid name - makes the world of difference. What? Like you felt nothing when Kudou-kun confessed to you? Of course you felt something. And it wasn’t anything bad. Far from it. So why won’t you tell him how you feel, before he jumps to the wrong conclusion?”

Kaito frowned at that. Shinichi and wrong deduction? Impossible. And yet… That brief flash of pain he saw in those azure eyes earlier. The slight tensing of the body whenever he called him Tantei-kun. Could it be that the detective was actually as insecure about _whom_ Kaito held dear in his heart? Could he have felt threatened by his, for a lack of better word, alter ego?

All because he couldn’t utter those three little words?

“Aoko, I… You’re right,” Kaito admitted with a sigh, “I’m not good with talking about my feelings. About admitting aloud that I… that I love someone,”

“I know,” She answered simply and moved her chair closer to his, wrapping him in a one arm hug, “It's because of your Dad, right? You’re scared that if you say it out loud, something or someone will steal us away from you,”

“A life without you, without Shinichi, I -” His breath shuddered, one hand clasping tightly on Aoko’s, “It terrifies me. The thought of people dear to me gone because I care about them. I wouldn’t be able to live with myself,”

“It’s like that with everyone, Bakaito,” She whispered, tugging at his head until she placed a small, loving kiss to the crown of his wild hair, “But it’s precisely the same reason we should never hide our feelings from those we do love. Because we want to spent as much time with them as we can,” 

Her words were met with silence, and after it continued for a while, Aoko thought her best friend fell asleep, until what he muttered next made her laugh out loud.

“But how do I do it? I’m a magician, so just strolling up to him and saying it won’t be enough. I want it to be memorable, for the both of us,”

“I’m sure you’ll manage something that will surprise Kudou-kun. Something you both will never forget. If I know one thing about Kuroba Kaito, it’s that when he does something, it’s with a bang. And causes trouble for all those around him,” Aoko choked out when her bout of laughter subsided, ending it on a light note with a fond chuckle.

“Ahoko,” Kaito said suddenly and moved his head until their gazes locked. She send him a questioning look that he answered with a warm one.

“I love you,”

“Tell me something I don’t already know,” She beamed back, face stretched wide in a radiant smile. She’d need to thank Kudou-kun for that one.

“Your chest area expanded only two millimeters in the last three yea-”

“BAKAITO! YOU JERK!” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm so so sorry for not updating sooner. Got "bitten" by a flu bug that moved to my lungs so I'm on strict bed rest for almost two weeks now, with possibly another two more. Someone kill me, please ╥﹏╥ I know this chapter is quite short, but it's all I could manage at the moment, since I don't want to leave those who read and enjoy the story hanging. Hopefully everything will be back to normal soon. Until then, keep yourself warm, you guys (〃ω〃)


	17. Ambush

_ You can try to resist,  _

_ Try to hide from my kiss, _

_ But you know that you, _

_ Can’t fight the moonlight. _

_ ✿✿✿ _

Kaito was, to put it bluntly, incredibly frustrated - bordering on being pissed off. He promised himself to conf- _talk_ to Shinichi about his feelings and clear any and all misunderstandings between them. Sadly, the life had its own way of doing things and here he was, barely three days before their appointed time of flight to London and he was no closer to achieving his goals than two weeks ago. 

On top of school being a pain in the arse because of the incoming exams, he had a heist scheduled last weekend - one not attended by his favorite detective, to his utmost dismay - to testifying in court against the man who tried to frame him for murder, which was happening tomorrow after school.

  
  


There was also packing and preparing for the trip. But how could he know what gadgets he wanted to take if he had no idea how to surprise Shinichi?

Not to mention the longing to see the detective again. After their little argument he tried contacting him, but the other never answered.

With a sigh, the mop of wild hair hit the desk in resignation.

“Wohooo~!”

“I’d definitely go out with _her_!”

“What’s going on?” Aoko’s voice registered in the sea of exclamations and appreciative whistling.

“Look at that babe~” One of the boys in his class, for a lack of better word, purred.

“What, what. Whatcha got there?” Kaito finally moved after regaining a semblance of his poker face, strolling leisurely to the small crowd gathered at the window.

“Check her out, Kuroba. Ain’t she a _hottie_?” 

The magician looked out to the front gate and choked on air. 

Yes, she was a beauty. Dark brown curls, cascading down her back, long legs decorated by equally high red stilettos. And sunglasses - currently perched on top of her head - usually hiding the alabaster, blemish-free skin.

She was also leaning against a burgundy lacquered bike.

A _very familiar_ one.

“Aoko, tell the teacher I felt bad and went home,” Kaito hurriedly whispered to his friend, before throwing his backpack on and running out of the classroom.

✿✿✿

The woman smirked when she spotted a lone figure walking out of the building and with one, final drag from the cigarette she dropped it and crushed beneath the sole of the expensive shoe.

“To what do I owe this visit?” Kaito asked, letting a touch of KID bleed into his voice, gaining that tint of confidence.

“Can’t I visit my favorite magician?” The woman asked back, tossing a spare helmet in his direction.

“I wasn’t aware I had such _deadly_ fans,” Nevertheless, he put it on and got on the bike behind her. He wanted to ask her what she was really doing here, but the roar of the engine - accompanied by an equally loud roar from within the school grounds - halted the question on the tip of his tongue.

They drove for about twenty minutes, at least Kaito assumed that’s how long a trip from Ekoda to Beika took, considering the ridiculous speed, before the vehicle slowed down to a stop just outside the Mouri Agency.

“Why are we here?” Kaito asked, blinking in quick succession, feeling thoroughly confused.

“I’m rather fond of the beverages at this small cafe,” The woman simply answered, as if that solved all of Kaito’s not voiced questions, and without waiting for him walked inside.

Upon entering, the magician instantly noticed two things. 

One, there was no one else inside, as if the place was closed. 

Two, the familiar head of blonde hair behind the counter.

And a rather scowling expression - luckily directed at the woman.

“I told you not to come here before the opening hours,”

“Ah, but this is the only place where I can relax - ” The woman sat in one of the chairs and swiftly peeled off her face, letting another, this time also blonde, wave of hair down her back “ - without worrying about being caught,”

Amuro simply ‘tsk’d’, suddenly wiping the glass he held that much more vigorously.

“So… what did you want from me?” Kaito pinched in, reminding them of his presence.

“Who’s the kid?” The bartender slash police officer asked, looking him over carefully.

“Kuroba Kaito, The Magician Under the Moonlight and Silver Bullet’s person of interest,” Vermouth smirked at the expression her comrade made upon the revelation. Not to mention the blush now adoring their guest’s face.

“Oi, don’t just suddenly reveal my identity to whomever you please,” Kaito barked back, but with the colors still flourishing upon his cheeks, it had no bite.

“You are…?” Amuro let out a long, contemplating hum, before nodding his approval, “So, how did the confession go?”

“Huh?”

“Listen to this, Bourbon, the kid still didn’t say anything. And they’re going to _London_ in three days, too,” Vermouth shook her head, letting out a sad sigh.

“W-what that’s got to do with anything?” Kaito stuttered, trying to find both himself and his mind in this whole, frankly bizarre, situation.

“You don’t know?” It was Amuro’s turn to be surprised as he put their respective drinks on the counter.

“About what?”

“You heard about how Kudou-kun went there once and saved the whole stadium from being blown up?”

“I heard bits and pieces here and there,” The magician confirmed, still struggling to find the connection.

“Then…” Vermouth interrupted, leveling a calculating gaze on him, “did you also hear how he _confessed_ to my Angel there?”

“What,” Kaito’s brain short-circuited at that bit of news.

“That’s right. In the evening’s glow, under the Big Ben, he poured his heart out to her. In the middle of the street, with people watching them. Bravely. Boldly,”

The magician saw it in his mind’s eye. A flustered boy. A blushing girl. Those special words being whispered.

Words he’s yet to voice out to the detective.

Something ugly twisted in the pit of his stomach.

Because that’s how he wanted them to be. Intimate, yet for the whole world to see. So that people’d know that Kudou Shinichi belonged to Kuroba Kaito.

Amuro picked immediately on what she tried to do and with a knowing smile pinch in his three cents.

“Perhaps that trip will remind him how he felt about her, once upon a time? Rekindle the old flame?”

“Who knows? He’s the type that pretends to be not moved by anything, but deep down he’s a romantic. Perhaps-”

“No,” Kaito growled out, his fists clenched at his side, frame shaking with suppressed emotions.

“Hm? What’s that?”

“He _won’t,_”

“Why are you so sure?” Amuro asked calmly, thinking that maybe they overdid it a little.

“Because the one Shinichi loves is _me_,” That’s all the reason he needed, truly. He believed in the detective. Unflinchingly, without a shadow of a doubt. For merlin’s sake, he tried to get Pandora by himself just so they could get a starting point. Together. With no alter selfs blocking their path.

“You sound certain of it. And? What about you?” Vermouth inquired softly, taking a sip of her black coffee and observing how the young sleuth instantly deflated and slind into the chair next to her.

“I- I… do. Have feelings for him. I know what they are. I just…” He launches into an explanation. Repeating everything he told Aoko, but more bluntly. About his insecurities, fears, hopes of what may happen, dreams of what could be. He’s relieving it all once again, finding it ridiculous that he could speak those words in front of them, but when faced with Shinichi his throat closed down and refused to let anything important out.

When he’s done - glad that neither of them interrupted him - it’s nearly half an hour later, so he tipped his glass and drank the whole content of it in three swallows.

“There’s only one thing I can say to you. Follow your heart, just like your father did.  Anything less than mad, passionate, extraordinary love is a waste of time. There are too many mediocre things in life to deal with and love shouldn't be one of them,” Vermouth finally said after a considerable amount of high-strung silence. Neither of the blondes expected such an outburst of emotions. 

“You knew my father. I’d recognize his technique anywhere,” Kaito said it not as a question, but a confirmation of what he suspected for quite some time now, right after being introduced to the duo by a -little back then - Tantei-kun, before the operation to take down the Black Organization.

“Spectacular man, he was. One of the very few who earned my trust and respect,” Her voice was forlorn, as if feeling ashamed that his teachings were used in all those hideous ways.

“‘If you can imagine it, you can create it. The words of a great magician describing his attitude when he comes up with a new trick. This also applies to an entertainer who aims to reach even higher heights. And with your conviction, if you aim for something, I have faith that you’ll reach it,’” Kaito quoted his father’s words, finding them fitting to the situation. He’s not someone who could offer forgiveness for it’s not his place, but what he could offer was a little light of salvation and a soft smile. Something he noticed was received, recognized and thanked for in the form of a small nod.

Still…

“What’s the difference?”He asked, looking from one to the other, “Between the love of your life, and your soulmate?” His mother always used to talk to him about finding that special someone who _‘will slip the rug from under your feet’_. A connection so strong nothing and no one’d ever break it.

“If forced to answer…” Amuro murmured distractedly, stroking his chin, before focusing his gaze on the magician, ”One is a choice, and one is not,”

Well, that just left him with even more questions. Sadly, Vermouth announced it was time for them to leave, lest someone reported him missing, which could spell trouble for her.

“Thank you for your time,” Kaito bowed politely before leaving, smiling slightly at the fondly whispered ‘don’t come back’.

“So, do you know what to do now?” The woman asked once they were outside, her disguise back in place. 

“Yes. And no,” At the look he received Kaito sheepishly scratched the back of his head, “ I know I have to tell him how I feel. No, I _want_ to tell him that. In a grand manner, befitting the son of Kuroba Toichi,”

And for the first time, Chris smiled a real, gentle smile, ruffling those wild locks.

“You both have seen far too much darkness of this world. You deserve the happiness. To be each other’s guiding lights,”

For a moment all was still and quiet, until suddenly, Kaito threw caution to the wind and gathered the woman in a hug, squeezing tightly. 

He needed to hear it. That permission, confirmation that it’s okay for him to pursue his own happiness, to try and bring back the joy and love into his life. Something he, for a long time now, was unconsciously venturing away from.

“Thank you,” He whispered and with one, last squeeze moved away.

“Are you going now?” Vermouth chuckled, smirk back in place.

“Yeah. I am. I really need to see him,”

✿✿✿

By the time he made it to Shinichi’s house, it was already getting dark. Wasting no time with formalities he used his grappling hook to jump up onto the balcony to the detective’s room. However, he was surprised to find the room vacant of any living soul.

“If you’re looking for the kid, he’s in the library,” That chilling voice said from the doorway, forcing Kaito to hide the flinch at the disguise the other was wearing.

But wait, he said something…

“Library?”

“On the other side of the house. Big mahogany doors,” Akai supplied, wishing for the magician to simply use the door from now on - something he voiced out loud for the already leaving sleuth.

“I will keep that in mind,” Kaito called over his shoulder as he descended the stairs, stopping briefly to locate the right corridor. And ignoring a very pointed look from the small mad scientist with an illegally large cup of - what he assumed was - a freshly brewed coffee.

Finding the door matching the description he knocked gently, but upon hearing no answer he slowly turned the knob and walked inside.

His heart instantly swelled at the sight of his detective slumped over the desk, his back rising and falling steadily, indicating a rather deep slumber.

_‘Working yourself to exhaustion? Another case?’_ Kaito thought, taking one of the many scattered over the surface documents and blinking when he saw blueprints for a building.

One housing the Pandora.

With many little notes scribbled on the edges.

_‘Why must you do everything by yourself? Why won’t you let me share the burden?’_ Kaito’s thoughts turned a gloomier shade as he gently scooped the detective up and moved him to the sofa. If the very prominent bags under his eyes were any indication, the idiot literally worked day and night sitting here and trying to come up with a plan.

“Breaking into high security buildings is my forte, _Shin-baka_,” The magician whispered warmly, placing a gentle kiss on Shinichi’s forehead.

Gathering the papers from the desk, he sat at the foot of the sofa and began looking through them, switching his mindset to that of a thief with a mission.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *peeks out from around the corner* Hi~! I know, I'm sorry. (༎ຶ⌑༎ຶ) I haven't updated in AGES, but really, life was a... well, those words are not appropriate for this place. Let's just say it was hell. Just as I started to move places all this pandemic stuff happened and living literally between two flats for over three months was unbearable. With no internet connection to boot. Luckily, I managed to get a semblance of my life back, so I'm starting to slowly update this story again. Please do be patient with me, for it will still be irregular, but I hope I will be able to get back into the swing of things again and finish this story properly.
> 
> On a side note, I hope you all are faring well and staying safe! ＼\٩( 'ω' )و //／


	18. Stake claim

_ "No there's no one else's eyes  
That could see into me  
No one else's arms can lift  
Lift me up so high  
Your love lifts me out of time  
And you know my heart by heart" _

_ -Demi Lovato, Heart by Heart _

_✿✿✿_

It’s well into afternoon when Shinichi slowly rose up, groaning at the bones popping back into their rightful place as he stretched on the sofa leisurely. 

Wait, hold on.  _ Sofa? _

More alert now, he sat up and looked around in a silent bafflement, certain that he dropped off at the desk yesterday afternoon after his frustration reached a peak when confronted with - yet another - obstacle, hard to overcome in his potential plan for stealing Pandora. 

He knew for a fact he hadn’t suddenly developed a levitation ability, so then how…?

The answer to his question rested on a - literal - silver platter, right next to the furniture he’s currently sitting on.

A plate filled with the most delicious looking sandwiches, complemented by equally divine smell of the coffee wafting from the cup placed on the other end of the tray. For in the middle of it stood proudly a small vase with a fully bloomed blue rose in it, with a small note attached.

Nutritious breakfast, professionally made coffee and a Sherlock quote to boot? Shinichi could boldly state he died and went to heaven, if the fluttering in his stomach and the warmth spreading in his chest were any indication.

And yet… The insufferable reason for his state was nowhere to be seen.

Well, if memory serves him right and the days passed by as they should, today’s the day of the hearing about the ski resort murder.

He supposed he could go and offer some - at least mental - support to the magician. In a place filled to the brim with the representatives of the law even a - seemingly - confident sleuth as Kaito would be nervous. 

Thus it was only after quickly eating - or more like devouring - the prepared breakfast, that he noticed a binder hidden beneath the silver tray. 

One filled to the last page with dozen potential plans - and each of them with at least five follow-ups - of the upcoming heist to snatch the ridiculous stone.

“Really, now,” Shinichi sighed, covering his rosy, blushing face with both hands, “Those mixed signals will be the death of me, you _stupid_ thief,”

_✿✿✿_

With a loud sigh Kaito put the phone back into his pocket, looking for all like the picture of a kicked puppy. Still no messages or anything from Shinichi. He’d reckon the detective was still asleep - the state of his suggested that he needed a lot of it, if not even more.

He knew it was selfish of him to hope for the other to be here with him, a thought he quickly shoved to the very back of his mind. Alas, it’d seem that a mind in love had its own way of working, thus the nagging thing kept on resurfacing every now and then.

“Nervous?” The beautiful attorney walking by stopped and asked with a gentle smile. Kisaki Eri, if he remembered correctly, Mouri-chan’s mother and the best in her field of work. 

Kaito briefly wondered why such a prominent figure would take on a case that was lost from the beginning. There was no doubt in anyone’s mind that the man was guilty as charged. Heck, the whole hearing was ridiculous to him. By now he should be at Shinichi’s house, watching his detective’s sleeping face. And possibly stealing a cuddle. Or two. _Possibly._

“Don’t worry, it’s just a formality,” The woman added when there was no response and Kaito’s cheeks bloomed in embarrassment. Thinking about Tantei-kun’d really be the death of him one day.

“Thank you. It’s just, it’s my first time participating in a hearing. The high-strung atmosphere just got to me, I guess,” He finally answered with a small smile, trying to stop the image of himself sitting in the defendant’s chair.

_‘See? Another dark thought,’_ Accompanied by, quieter this time, sigh.

He really could use Shinichi’s presence right about now.

And chocolate. In any form.

_✿✿✿_

Muttering in a rather colorful language, Shinichi slotted his car in one of the few empty parking spots and just as he was about to get out, his phone buzzed, signaling a mail. Ignoring it - for he had his priorities and occupied hands - he somehow managed it to the front door, before his phone acted up again.

With a bit of maneuvering the detective managed to slide his finger on the screen to answer the call.

“_Finally!_ How many times do you think I’ve been calling you?!” Ran’s angry voice momentarily stupefied his hearing, and it’s with a guilty sigh that he replied.

“Sorry, Ran, I’ve been busy this past few days. Working on a really tough case,”

“And does this ‘case’ come wrapped in long, brown, curly hair and absurdly slim legs packed in super high heels?” 

“Uh, what?” Shinichi blinked, confused.

“I saw you two yesterday hugging in front of Poirot! Even though you have KID-kun!” This was getting bad, Ran’s voice kept on rising in volume - which spelled trouble and possible bodily harm for Shinichi.

“Look, I don’t know what you’re talking about. I was at home all day yesterday. Subaru-san and Haibara can confirm it _if you just call them_,” He stressed out the last part, indicating he’s really in a hurry.

“B-but-” Oh, good, her voice lowered considerably, he could breathe again.

“Sorry Ran, but I’m at the court right now, already late for the hearing Kaito’s part of, if you’d like to know,” A bit of a pause before he decided to whisper his next words, “And I don’t have him,”

With that he hung up and - _finally_ \- walked inside the building, intent on finding the right room and getting in there before the break ended. He’s not stupid enough to boldly announce himself by disrupting the hearing with his grand entrance.

After all, he’s just an observer this time. He’s done his part.

“But don’t you?” A quiet voice purred next to his ear right as Shinichi found the right door.

He turned quickly, disturbed at the sudden close proximity with this stranger. 

Well, a rather beautiful, if not a gorgeous one. Burgundy hair, and wine colored eyes framed by long, curly lashes.

But that was all Shinichi saw. There were no deeper feelings and fascinations involved.

“I’m sorry?” He asked back, remembering her question.

  
  


“Interesting. You’re immune to my charms. Or perhaps not interested at all. As expected of the Devil of Light,” The woman answered with a smirk, her gaze roaming all over him.

“Do I know you?” Honestly, Shinichi was quite freaked out by this person and her strange way of wording things. Not to mention her vanity was, frankly, suffocating him.

“You don’t. Yet. But I’d recognize your aura everywhere. The Clock Tower heist? You were blinding back then,” Her eyes regard him with something akin to a glee - and he’d rather die than to admit to a shiver that crawled down his spine. All of his senses were screaming at him to get away from this weirdo. But then…

“No one aside from the police knew I was present at the scene,” His words were curt and short, to the point. No use prolonging something this…_ unpleasant._

“I’m not ‘no one’. Tell me - ,” She whispered, reaching her hand up to trail a single fingernail down his cheek. Shinichi swallowed thickly, “- what are your intentions with Kuroba-kun,”

If not for the appendage still pressed firmly against his skin, the detective would gawk right then and there, like a fish without water. So that was it? Kaito send some weirdo to get information about his feelings for him? Really?

“He has no idea I’m here,” Her finger slid lower to his jaw, the tip of the fingernail pressing right into his neck, “I seek answers for my own benefit. Should they be… unsatisfactory for me, I’m prepared to take matters into my own hands,” 

“If you’re going to threaten me, the least you could do is give me a name to pair with a face,” Shinichi retorted back with indifference. After the Black Organization - _especially_ Gin - not much could truly scare him. Aside from the safety of those he held close. His own well-being? Of little importance in the grand scheme of things.

“Koizumi Akako. A witch very interested in Magician Under the Moonlight,” Shinichi merely quirked a brow at the absurd introduction, fighting the urge to start a conversation about ‘magic’ being no more than illusions caused by expert tricks designed to woo the audience.

“So you want to know if you have a rival?” The detective concluded, wanting to end this - whatever it was - as soon as possible. The hearing was just about reaching it’s half-time, if the sudden noise from the other side of the door was any indication.

“Rival implies both of us competing for something,” Akako smirked, pressing her finger to the pulse on his neck. 

“Which you shouldn’t. Kaito’s heart may not be mine -  _ yet _ \- but I will steal it. No, I will  _ earn _ it. Because I love him,” Shinichi said it all looking straight into the wine eyes, his pulse not once elevating, beating strong and steady. The truth and confidence conveyed in words just spoken.

Akako accepted it at face value, finding no lie and deception in the confession. Really, if only Kuroba-kun could up his arse and make this man his, a lot of people could breathe a sigh of relief. Because it was obvious to her that they belonged. The blinding aura of this demon, when he spoke of the magician, was pure in its whiteness. Something she witnessed in only one other person aside from him.

“Then I suggest you hurry, for the shadow of the past is coming to consume him. And I’m not sure even your light will be enough to save him from this downfall. But, please, do try your best,” And with a very specific laughter on her lips, Akako turned and left the detective alone in front of the door, cackling all the way to the exit.

_✿✿✿_

“We’ll take a ten minute recess, after which the people involved will testify to this court,” The judge exclaimed, putting his gavel down twice.

Kaito sighed for the hundredth time in the last ninety minutes, stretching his arms above his head. And contemplating how long it’d take him to sneak out to the nearest Starbucks for a cup of his preferred beverage.

His calculations - sadly, with no positive results - were interrupted when Aoko poked him and motioned to the door, a sign that they should get out of here, if only for a little. A suggestion Kaito obliged all too happily.

“I wonder what they’ll be asking us,” His childhood friend supplied as they walked to the exit with the crowd.

“Just supplementary questions to get the whole picture of the events that transpired that night. Nothing to worry about,” Hakuba replied, and for a moment Kaito felt bad that he forgot the blonde was there with them, too.

Then again, it’s Hakuba, so it was okay.

“Oh!” Aoko suddenly breathed as if realising something and pulled on the sleeve of her boyfriend, “Saguru, can you show me this little shop you mentioned before?”

The Brit blinked, slightly confused, before his eyes widened for a second and a smirk replaced the surprised expression. With a nod, the two of them turned right just as they walked through the door, leaving the poor magician alone.

Which suited Kaito just fine. He liked his brooding with no witnesses present. Mechanically, he pulled out the phone to check for any messages - _from Shinichi_ \- and yep, still nothing new there.

The surprise, however, came just as he was sliding the item back to his pocket. It flared to life, vibrating repeatedly in his hand. Looking at the screen, he couldn’t believe what he saw, before answering.

“What kind of expression is_ that_?” An amused voice on the other end asked.

Instead of answering, indigo eyes scanned the crowd gathered at the corridor, furiously, until his gaze landed on a very familiar cowlick. 

And there he was. 

Standing. 

Just standing in the mob of people who seemed to glide around him as if he was something untouchable.

Just standing and looking right at him with warm eyes and gentle smile.

Just standing and holding a cup of - now that he was close enough to smell it - hot chocolate.

The closer Kaito got, the wider the space between the detective’s arms became.

“_Shinichi~_” The magician whined and accommodated himself between the other’s arms - that immediately wrapped around him protectively - clinging to him like a koala. 

Shinichi chuckled at the childish behavior, and opted for a silent comfort, brushing his fingers through the mop of wild hair with his free hand. 

Not much to say, Kaito melted against him instantly, like a single cube of ice left under the blazing sun. 

Truly, this man here was the wind beneath his wings.

They stayed like that, oblivious to the people around them, closed in the little world built from the detective’s arms. Those three words were on the tip of Kaito’s tongue when a familiar female voice addressed Shinichi.

“I’m glad to see you made it, Shinichi-kun,” Eri smiled - even wider when she noticed a rather fetching shade of red on the young man’s cheeks - and extended her hand in a greeting.

“Thank you for taking the case,” The detective answered, accepting the greeting.

“I’m beginning to see why you asked me,” 

Kaito on his part was rather confused by their exchange, but it quickly slipped his mind when the sweet scent wafted up his nose teasingly. Reluctantly, he detached himself from Shinichi and took the cup, greedily swallowing down half of its content in one go.

“Lets go inside, the break is almost over,” 

“Do I have to?” Kaito mumbled, but followed the other back inside the room and to his seat. Shinichi on his part decided to stay in the last row, so as to not attract too much attention. He was past that phase, thankfully.

Again, the sound of gavel hitting twice brought back the silence in the room.

_✿✿✿_

“I… It’s hard to explain…” Kaito murmured, eyes looking everywhere, but at Shinichi.

After they renewed the hearing, all participants of the event that transpired on the night of the murder were called to the witness stand to testify of their actions and whereabouts at the time of the crime.

Both Saguru and Aoko left the podium rather red in the face, and no one could blame them. What they had to say was, well, _rather mature_ in its content.

Then the older lady who helped in proving Kaito’s innocence. After all, if not for her testimony, the outcome of the investigation could've been very different.

And finally the magician himself. A suspect number two, framed to take the fall for the real killer.

Shinichi expected the uncomfortable questions from the prosecution, which is why he asked Kisaki attorney to take the case. Not to get the lighter verdict for the defendant, oh no. Just to try and save Kaito from the uncomfortable questions directed at him. After all, he was in the spotlight for nearly two days and, despite the man responsible being apprehended, the magician had no other alibi than the old lady’s words. He couldn’t very well just blurt out the truth.

“Kuroba-san, I will repeat the question. Where were you on the night of the murder?” 

“I- I took a walk into the woods to clear my head,” Kaito stuttered out, fidgeting in place.

“And what was the reason for it?” The prosecution pressed forward.

“Objection. I do believe the reason to be irrelevant,” Kisaki interjected, feeling sorry for the young sleuth.

“Don’t forget that Kuroba-san was previously accused. I believe we have the right to hear why he sneaked out so late,”

“Objection overruled. Witness, please answer the question,” The judge insisted, to the defense’s dismay.

“I- I… Someone told me something. And I needed to clear my head to process it,” Kaito finally answered after a minute of silence.

“Who told you what and when?” The prosecution pressed on like a dog out to hunt his prey. Really, why was his life so difficult? Hakuba and Aoko got off with just few, easy questions. Why were they tormenting him so much? He just wanted to get out of here. Like hell he was going to say that his head was full of thoughts about Tantei-kun, the reveal of his real identity and how much he hurt him.

Unconsciously, his gaze ventured in search of his detective. And when he found the azure bluer than any sapphire, Shinichi simply smiled and nodded, before moving quietly, until his feet stopped next to Kisaki attorney’s seat. Leaning down, the detective whispered something in the woman’s ear. Kaito watched on - his confusion growing - as Eri stood and walked to the judge.

“Kuroba-san, you may step down,” The man announced, to the sleuth’s delight - and prosecution’s upset - but the joy was rather short-lived at the next words.

“The defense would like to call to the stand Kudou Shinichi for a follow- up testimony,” Kisaki attorney said and immediately Kaito’s eyes shot up to find his detective’s - who calmly took his previous place.

“Kudou-san, you said just now that you know the reason of Kuroba-san’s upset and why he won’t reveal it. Explain to this court, please,” Eri said in a much calmer and softer tone. She suspected what that explanation may be, and felt proud of the young man who grew up with his daughter.

“Before I proceed with the explanation, you need to know the starting point of it. Kaito - “ A lot of people either gasped or quirked a brow at the lack of any sort of honorific with the magician’s given name "- and I met approximately four years ago on one of Kaitou KID heists. We became friends. Well, friendly rivals, occasionally meeting up to chat and match our wits against each other,” 

Through all this his eyes not once moved from the indigo - slightly widened - ones, as if speaking to the man himself.

“Kaito’s reason for needing to ‘clear his head’ as well as refusing to answer his questions came from me. I confessed my feeling to him,”

“You what?” The prosecution asked, bewildered as much as the rest of the crowd gathered in the room.

“I said I love him. Do I need to spell it out for you?” For a split second his gaze turned to the woman, sharp and commanding.

“N-no,” She stuttered back.

“You understand, then, that after years of being friends, me suddenly announcing my feelings shocked him and he needed the time to process this information on his own terms,” 

And just as Kisaki attorney excused him from the stand, one of the people seated in the audience dropped an unexpected question.

“And? Did he say yes?” Surprisingly, it was a man who asked.

Kaito’s blood drained from his face, only to return with vengeance a few seconds later - to his face and maybe _somewhere else_ \- when he saw the expression on Tantei-kun’s face.

Confident, gleaming eyes. Smirk that curled his lips in this_ suave_, sexy way. Shinichi always commented about the aura he executed as KID, but dang, the whole room seemed to have fallen under the spell of his overwhelming presence. 

And the _possessiveness_ dripping from his voice as Shinichi spoke next made something inside Kaito curl in that pleasurable, tingling way.

** _“I have what it takes to claim what I want,”_ **

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Supportive BF for the win! ＼\٩( 'ω' )و //／ And no, it's not like I like sexy, confident, smirking Shinichi, no, what are you talking about...
> 
> |･ω･｀)
> 
> All in all, I hope you enjoyed this chapter ^.^


End file.
